Find out how popular the last name Karimi is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Karimi.

Karimi, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Karimi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karimi in America

Karimi is the 15700th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karimi surname appeared 1,858 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Karimi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karimi to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Karimi

The surname Karimi is believed to have originated in Iran. It is derived from the Persian word "Karim," which means "generous" or "noble." The name has its roots in the Arabic language and can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the Islamic Golden Age.

The Karimi surname is particularly prevalent in the regions of Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia. It is often associated with individuals of Persian or Iranian descent. However, due to migration and cultural exchange, the name can also be found in various other parts of the world.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Karimi surname can be found in the works of renowned Persian poets and scholars from the 10th and 11th centuries CE. Notable figures include Abu al-Qasim al-Karimi (d. 1017 CE), a prominent poet and literary critic, and Abu Mansur al-Karimi (d. 1079 CE), a respected philosopher and theologian.

During the medieval period, the Karimi surname was associated with several influential families and individuals. One notable example is the Karimi dynasty, which ruled over parts of modern-day Iran and Afghanistan from the 13th to the 15th centuries CE. This dynasty produced several notable rulers, including Malik Shams al-Din Karimi (r. 1245-1277 CE) and Malik Ghiyath al-Din Karimi (r. 1277-1305 CE).

In more recent history, the Karimi surname has been carried by various scholars, artists, and public figures. Some notable individuals include:

1. Nasser D. Khalili (b. 1945), an Iranian-British scholar and art collector known for his extensive collection of Islamic art.
2. Amir Karimi (b. 1973), an Iranian film director and screenwriter, known for his critically acclaimed works such as "A Cube of Sugar" and "The Night Guard."
3. Abolfazl Karimi (b. 1976), an Iranian-American mathematician and computer scientist, known for his contributions to the field of computational geometry.
4. Shida Karimi (b. 1976), an Afghan-Canadian artist and activist, recognized for her efforts in promoting women's rights and empowerment through art.
5. Hamid Karimi (b. 1977), an Iranian-American engineer and professor, renowned for his research in the field of control systems and robotics.

Throughout its history, the Karimi surname has maintained its association with Persian and Iranian culture, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karimi

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Karimi.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Karimi was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Karimi has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Karimi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Karimi, please contact us.

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