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

Kazeem, 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 Kazeem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kazeem in America

Kazeem is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kazeem surname appeared 124 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kazeem.

The history of the last name Kazeem

The surname Kazeem has its origins in the Arabic language and is widely found among Muslim communities in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria. The name is derived from the Arabic root words "karam" and "karim," which mean "generous" and "noble," respectively.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Kazeem can be traced back to the 15th century in the region of present-day northern Nigeria, where it was commonly used by the Hausa people. Historical records from this period, such as the Kano Chronicle, mention individuals bearing the name Kazeem.

In the 16th century, the Kazeem surname became more prevalent in the Sokoto Caliphate, an Islamic empire that ruled over a vast territory in present-day northern Nigeria and neighboring regions. During this time, several prominent scholars and religious leaders with the surname Kazeem were documented in various manuscripts and chronicles.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Kazeem was Alhaji Kazeem Abubakar, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived in the city of Kano in the late 15th century. His works on Islamic jurisprudence and theology were widely studied and influenced the development of Islamic thought in the region.

In the 18th century, the Kazeem surname gained further prominence with the rise of the Sokoto Caliphate under the leadership of Usman dan Fodio. One notable figure from this period was Muhammed Bello Kazeem, a renowned military leader and the second sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate, who ruled from 1817 to 1837.

Another significant historical figure with the surname Kazeem was Nana Asma'u Kazeem, a renowned scholar, poet, and educator who lived in the early 19th century. She was the daughter of Usman dan Fodio and played a crucial role in promoting education and empowering women in the Sokoto Caliphate.

In the 19th century, the Kazeem surname spread beyond Nigeria to other parts of West Africa, particularly in areas with significant Muslim populations. One notable individual from this period was Ahmadu Kazeem, a prominent Islamic scholar and politician from the Nupe Kingdom (present-day Niger State, Nigeria), who lived from 1836 to 1901.

As the Kazeem surname gained prominence, it also became associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the town of Kazeemawa in present-day Kano State, Nigeria, is believed to have been named after an individual or family with the surname Kazeem.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kazeem

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

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 Kazeem 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.

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 Kazeem was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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