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

Kheir, 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 Kheir surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kheir in America

Kheir is the 97671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kheir surname appeared 186 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 Kheir.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kheir 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 Kheir

The surname KHEIR has its origins in the Arabic language and can be traced back to the Middle East region. It is believed to have emerged in the early medieval period, around the 7th or 8th century CE.

The name KHEIR is derived from the Arabic word "khair," which means "good" or "goodness." It was likely used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were considered virtuous, kind, or of good character.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name KHEIR can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and literary works from the 9th century CE. These documents mention individuals bearing this surname, often in the context of scholars, poets, or religious figures.

In the 11th century, during the reign of the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt, a prominent figure named Abdul Kheir al-Andalusi was a renowned philosopher and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the field of optics and authored several influential works.

During the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria, which lasted from the 13th to the 16th centuries, there were several individuals with the surname KHEIR who held important positions in the government and military. One such individual was Emir Kheir Bey, who served as the governor of Damascus in the early 14th century.

In the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over a vast territory spanning from the Middle East to North Africa and parts of Europe, the surname KHEIR was also present. One notable figure was Kheir al-Din al-Ramli, a 16th-century Islamic scholar and jurist who authored several works on Islamic jurisprudence.

Moving to the Indian subcontinent, the surname KHEIR can be found among the Mughal nobility and ruling classes during the 16th and 17th centuries. One prominent individual was Mir Kheir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah, who served as the governor of Bengal under the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

In more recent times, Kheir Ahmed Kashif, a 20th-century Pakistani writer and poet, was a well-known figure who carried the surname KHEIR. His literary works explored themes of social justice and national identity.

While the surname KHEIR has its roots in the Middle East, it has spread across various regions and cultures over the centuries, reflecting the rich tapestry of human migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kheir

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

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

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

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