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

Mahdavi, 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 Mahdavi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mahdavi in America

Mahdavi is the 47791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mahdavi surname appeared 443 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 Mahdavi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mahdavi 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 Mahdavi

The surname Mahdavi has its origins in Persia, now known as Iran, and can be traced back to the 9th century AD. It is derived from the Arabic word "Mahdi," which means "the guided one" or "the rightly guided one." This name was often given to individuals who were considered leaders or guides within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mahdavi can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet and philosopher, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, who lived from 1058 to 1111 AD. In his works, he mentions a scholar named Mahdavi, who was renowned for his knowledge and wisdom.

The Mahdavi name was also prominent among the ruling dynasties of Persia, particularly during the Safavid Empire, which ruled from 1501 to 1736 AD. Several members of the royal family bore this name, including Prince Mahdavi, who was a renowned military commander during the reign of Shah Abbas I in the early 17th century.

In the 12th century, a prominent Islamic scholar and theologian named Abu'l-Ma'ali Mahdavi al-Isfahani was renowned for his expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy. He was born in Isfahan, a major city in central Iran, and his works were widely studied and revered throughout the Islamic world.

During the 14th century, a Persian poet and mystic named Mahdavi Kashi gained fame for his spiritual writings and poetry. He was born in the city of Kashan and his works were highly influential in the development of Persian literature and Sufism.

Another notable figure with the Mahdavi surname was Mirza Muhammad Mahdavi, a 19th-century Persian diplomat and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Iran from 1858 to 1861. He played a crucial role in modernizing Iran's government and establishing diplomatic relations with Western nations.

Throughout history, the Mahdavi name has been associated with scholars, poets, rulers, and influential figures in Persian and Islamic culture. While the name may have evolved and taken on various spellings over time, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of ancient Persia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mahdavi

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

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

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

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