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

Latif, 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 Latif surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Latif in America

Latif is the 14768th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Latif surname appeared 2,011 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 Latif.

We can also compare 2010 data for Latif 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 Latif

The surname Latif has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "Latif" which means "kind" or "gentle." It is a common surname found predominantly in the Middle East, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 7th century, during the rise of Islam and the spread of the Arabic language across the Middle East and North Africa. It is believed that the name was initially used as a descriptive term to denote individuals who possessed qualities of kindness and gentleness.

In the 9th century, the name Latif appeared in several Arabic manuscripts and historical records, including the works of renowned scholars and poets. One notable individual bearing this surname was Abu'l-Qasim al-Latif al-Baghdadi, a renowned Iraqi mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 9th century.

During the medieval period, the surname Latif became more widespread, particularly among Muslim communities in the Middle East and South Asia. It was often associated with individuals from scholarly or religious backgrounds, as well as those involved in various trades and professions.

Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the surname Latif. One example is Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, a renowned Urdu and Persian poet who lived in the 19th century (1797-1869). Another notable individual was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who lived from 1835 to 1908.

In more recent times, the surname Latif has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including academics, artists, and public figures. A few examples include Asma Jahangir (1952-2018), a renowned Pakistani human rights lawyer and social activist, and Khaled Hosseini (born 1965), an Afghan-American novelist best known for his book "The Kite Runner."

While the surname Latif has its roots in the Arabic language, it has since spread to various regions and cultures, often adapting to local linguistic traditions and spelling variations. However, its core meaning and association with qualities of kindness and gentleness have remained consistent throughout its rich history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Latif

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

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

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

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