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

Munawar, 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 Munawar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Munawar in America

Munawar is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Munawar surname appeared 269 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 Munawar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Munawar 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 Munawar

The surname MUNAWAR originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle Eastern region. The name can be traced back to the 7th century CE, with the rise and expansion of Islamic culture and the Arabic language.

MUNAWAR is derived from the Arabic word "nur," which means "light" or "radiance." The prefix "mu" adds a sense of intensity or emphasis, transforming the word into "munawar," meaning "illuminated" or "enlightened." This name was likely given to individuals who were perceived as enlightened or knowledgeable, or who had an aura of wisdom and spiritual guidance.

In the early days of Islamic civilization, names were often bestowed based on their symbolic or meaningful connotations. MUNAWAR may have been used to honor individuals who were scholars, philosophers, or religious leaders, as they were seen as bearers of enlightenment and knowledge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MUNAWAR can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet and scholar, Ferdowsi, who lived from 940 to 1020 CE. In his epic masterpiece, the Shahnameh (Book of Kings), he mentions a character named Munawar, indicating the use of this name during that time period.

Another notable figure bearing the surname MUNAWAR was Ibn Munawar, a 13th-century Arab historian and writer from Baghdad. His full name was Abu'l-Fath Muhammad ibn al-Munawar, and he authored several works on history and literature.

In the 14th century, there is a record of a Persian philosopher and poet named Munawar Isfahani, who hailed from the city of Isfahan in present-day Iran. His writings explored themes of Sufism and spirituality, reflecting the enlightened connotations associated with his name.

During the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, the name MUNAWAR was also found among the nobility and upper classes of South Asia. One such individual was Munawar Khan, a prominent noble and military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

In more recent times, Munawar Iqbal, a Pakistani poet and writer born in 1923, gained recognition for his literary contributions. His works celebrated the richness of Urdu language and culture, embodying the essence of enlightenment and intellectual pursuits.

It is worth noting that the surname MUNAWAR has undergone various spelling variations over time and across different regions, such as Munawwar, Munavvar, and Munawwir, but the core meaning and linguistic roots remain consistent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Munawar

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

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

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

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