Malak last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Malak

An Arabic surname meaning "angel" or "messenger."

Malak, 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 Malak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Malak in America

Malak is the 22673rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Malak surname appeared 1,131 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 Malak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Malak 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 22673 23454 -3.39%
Count 1,131 1,011 11.20%
Proportion per 100k 0.38 0.37 2.67%

The history of the last name Malak

The surname MALAK has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. It is derived from the Arabic word "malak," meaning "angel" or "messenger." This name can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 7th century AD, when Arabic culture and language began to spread across the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MALAK can be found in historical documents from the 10th century, where it was used to refer to individuals who held positions as messengers or envoys in various Islamic courts and governments. The name was often associated with those who served as intermediaries or conveyed important messages on behalf of rulers or authorities.

In the 12th century, the name MALAK appeared in several manuscripts and records from the Levant region, particularly in areas like Damascus and Jerusalem. During this period, it was not uncommon for individuals to adopt surnames based on their occupations or positions, which could explain the origins of this particular surname.

One notable figure bearing the surname MALAK was Ibrahim al-Malak (1143-1208), a prominent scholar and philosopher from Damascus. He was renowned for his contributions to the field of logic and his writings on Aristotelian philosophy.

Another historical figure was Khalil al-Malak (1587-1641), a renowned poet and writer from Lebanon. His works, which included poetry and literary criticism, were widely celebrated during his time and have been studied by scholars throughout the centuries.

In the 18th century, there are records of a family named MALAK residing in the village of Deir el-Qamar in modern-day Lebanon. This family produced several influential figures, including Mikhail MALAK (1743-1812), a prominent merchant and philanthropist who played a significant role in the economic and social development of the region.

In the 19th century, the MALAK surname gained recognition in Egypt, where several individuals bearing this name made notable contributions. One such figure was Boutros MALAK (1823-1897), a renowned educator and writer who advocated for educational reforms and the promotion of Arabic literature.

Another prominent individual was Yacoub MALAK (1855-1923), a respected lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Egyptian Legislative Assembly and was actively involved in the country's nationalist movements.

While the surname MALAK has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its historical significance remains firmly rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Arab world, where it has been a part of the tapestry of names for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Malak

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

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 Malak was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.51% 1,035
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.77% 20
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 3.09% 35
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 2.12% 24

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 Malak has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.51% 92.19% -0.74%
Black 1.77% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 3.09% 1.98% 43.79%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 3.86% (S)%
Hispanic 2.12% 0.99% 72.67%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Malak last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 9, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/malak-surname-popularity/.

"Malak last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/malak-surname-popularity/. Accessed 9 November, 2024

Malak last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/malak-surname-popularity/.

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