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

Kunar, 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 Kunar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kunar in America

Kunar is the 114424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kunar surname appeared 153 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 Kunar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kunar 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 Kunar

The surname Kunar is believed to have originated in the region of Kunar Province, located in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan. The name is derived from the Kunar River, which flows through this region and is an important water source for the local population.

The earliest known records of the name Kunar date back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various Afghan manuscripts and chronicles. During this time, the Kunar Valley was a strategically important area, with various Afghan tribes and clans vying for control over the fertile lands and trade routes that passed through the region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kunar was Mir Painda Khan Kunar, a prominent Afghan leader and warrior who lived in the late 16th century. He played a significant role in the struggles for power between the Afghan tribes and the Mughal Empire, which sought to extend its influence into the region.

In the 18th century, the Kunar Valley became part of the Durrani Empire, founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani. During this period, the surname Kunar gained further prominence, as many individuals from the region served in the Durrani military and administrative ranks.

Notably, Mir Wais Khan Kunar, born in the late 17th century, was a renowned Afghan military commander and leader of the Hotaki Ghilji tribe. He played a pivotal role in the Afghan uprising against the Safavid Persian Empire, eventually leading to the establishment of the Hotaki dynasty in Kandahar.

Another prominent figure with the surname Kunar was Mir Qasim Khan Kunar, who lived in the 19th century and served as the governor of the Kunar Valley during the reign of Dost Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Barakzai dynasty in Afghanistan.

In more recent times, Sher Mohammad Ahmadzai Kunar, born in the early 20th century, was a notable Afghan politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1963 to 1965.

While the Kunar surname has its roots in Afghanistan, it has also been adopted by individuals of Afghan descent living in other parts of the world, particularly in neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran, as well as in the Afghan diaspora communities in Europe and North America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kunar

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

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

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

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