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

Najafi, 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 Najafi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Najafi in America

Najafi is the 49824th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Najafi surname appeared 421 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 Najafi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Najafi 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 Najafi

The surname Najafi is an Arabic/Persian name that originated in the Middle East. It is derived from the term "Najaf," which refers to the city of Najaf in Iraq, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam. Najaf is located in the southern part of Iraq and is known for its rich history and cultural significance.

The earliest records of the surname Najafi can be traced back to the 7th century, during the early days of Islamic civilization. It was initially used to identify individuals who hailed from or had a connection to the city of Najaf. The name gained prominence among Shia Muslims, particularly those who had visited or lived in Najaf for religious purposes.

In the 9th century, the name Najafi appeared in several historical manuscripts and texts written by Islamic scholars and chroniclers. One notable reference can be found in the writings of Al-Tabari, a renowned historian who documented the lives of early Islamic figures and events.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Najafi. One of the earliest known figures was Abu Ja'far al-Najafi (born around 830 CE), a renowned Muslim scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to Islamic jurisprudence. Another prominent figure was Shaykh Murtadha al-Najafi (1734-1799), a highly influential Shia scholar and theologian who wrote extensively on Islamic philosophy and theology.

In the 19th century, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Najafi (1801-1867) was a prominent Shia mujtahid (religious scholar) and author who played a crucial role in the development of Shia Islamic thought. His works, such as "Jawahir al-Kalam fi Sharh Shara'i' al-Islam," became seminal texts in Shia jurisprudence.

More recently, Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (1935-1980), a renowned Iraqi Shia scholar and political figure, carried the Najafi surname. He was a prominent advocate for Islamic reform and social justice and was tragically executed during the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq.

Another notable figure with the Najafi surname was Nizar Qabbani (1923-1998), a renowned Syrian poet and diplomat. His poetic works, which celebrated Arab nationalism and feminism, earned him widespread acclaim across the Arab world.

The surname Najafi has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the city of Najaf was historically known as "Mashhad al-Najaf" or "Mashhad al-Amir," reflecting its status as a revered pilgrimage site. Additionally, variations of the name, such as "Najafi," "Najafi," and "Najafi," have been used interchangeably throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Najafi

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

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

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

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