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

Kiani, 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 Kiani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kiani in America

Kiani is the 41038th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kiani surname appeared 531 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 Kiani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kiani 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 Kiani

The surname KIANI originates from the Persian language and can be traced back to ancient Persia, now modern-day Iran, around the 6th century AD. It is derived from the Persian word "Kian," which means "king" or "of noble descent." This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals from royal or aristocratic families.

In the early Islamic era, the name KIANI gained prominence as a distinguishing surname for those claiming descent from the legendary Persian king, Kai Khosrow, of the Kayanian dynasty. This dynasty ruled over ancient Persia from approximately 616 to 550 BC. The name's association with royalty and nobility likely contributed to its widespread adoption among the Persian aristocracy.

One of the earliest documented references to the KIANI name can be found in the "Shahnameh," an epic poem written by the renowned Persian poet, Ferdowsi, in the late 10th century AD. The "Shahnameh" chronicles the history of the Persian kings and heroes, including those of the Kayanian dynasty, thereby preserving the significance of the KIANI name.

Over the centuries, the KIANI surname has been associated with several notable individuals. For instance, Mirza Kiani, a 16th-century Persian calligrapher and artist, was renowned for his exquisite calligraphic works and paintings. Mirza Kiani's birth and death years are not precisely known, but he is believed to have lived during the reign of the Safavid dynasty in Persia.

Another prominent figure with the KIANI surname was Mirza Mehdi Khan Kiani, a 19th-century Persian diplomat and statesman who served as the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during the Qajar dynasty. He was born in 1824 and died in 1896.

In the literary realm, Sadegh Kiani, a 20th-century Iranian poet and writer, gained recognition for his contributions to Persian literature. He was born in 1936 and passed away in 2022.

Furthermore, the KIANI surname has been associated with various place names and regions within Iran. For instance, the village of Kiani in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari is believed to have derived its name from the presence of individuals bearing the KIANI surname in the area.

Throughout history, the KIANI surname has maintained its connection to Persian culture and heritage, serving as a testament to the rich tapestry of names and their evolution across different eras and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kiani

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

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

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

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