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

Mukhtar, 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 Mukhtar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mukhtar in America

Mukhtar is the 32079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mukhtar surname appeared 719 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 Mukhtar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mukhtar 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 Mukhtar

The surname Mukhtar originated in the Arabic-speaking world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. It is derived from the Arabic word "mukhtar," which means "chosen" or "elected." This name is believed to have its roots in the early Islamic era, when it was commonly used to refer to leaders or representatives chosen by the community.

During the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century, the name Mukhtar gained prominence among scholars, poets, and influential figures. One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the works of renowned Arab philosopher and historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), who mentioned individuals bearing the name Mukhtar in his writings.

The name Mukhtar has been present in various historical records and manuscripts throughout the centuries. In the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over significant parts of the Middle East and North Africa from the 14th to the early 20th century, the name Mukhtar appeared in administrative documents and records of notable individuals.

Among the notable figures who bore the surname Mukhtar are:

1. Mohammed Mukhtar (1858-1931), an Egyptian revolutionary and leader of the Sudanese resistance against British colonial rule.
2. Mukhtar Shakhanov (1842-1912), a prominent Kazakh poet and philosopher known for his contributions to Kazakh literature and culture.
3. Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961), a renowned Kazakh writer, playwright, and scholar who played a significant role in the development of modern Kazakh literature.
4. Mukhtar Yalanketski (1947-2018), a Belarusian poet, translator, and writer who was awarded the Yanka Kupala State Prize for Literature.
5. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (born 1957), an Indian politician and former Union Minister of Minority Affairs in the Government of India.

The surname Mukhtar has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the town of Mukhtar in the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan is believed to have derived its name from individuals bearing this surname who once resided in the area.

Throughout its history, the surname Mukhtar has maintained a strong connection to its Arabic roots and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from revolutionaries and political leaders to poets, writers, and scholars, reflecting its rich heritage and significance in the Arab and Islamic world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mukhtar

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

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

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

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