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

Nejad, 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 Nejad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nejad in America

Nejad is the 50196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nejad surname appeared 417 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 Nejad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nejad 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 Nejad

The surname NEJAD has its origins in Persia, which is the historical name for modern-day Iran. It is believed to have emerged during the 7th century CE, around the time of the Arab conquests of the Sassanid Empire. The name is derived from the Persian word "nejad," which translates to "lineage" or "ancestry."

NEJAD is a relatively common surname in Iran, particularly in the central and northern regions of the country. It is often associated with families of noble or aristocratic descent, as the name implies a sense of pride in one's heritage and bloodline. However, over time, the surname has become more widespread and is no longer exclusively tied to nobility.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NEJAD surname can be found in the Persian epic poem "Shahnameh," written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century CE. The poem mentions several characters with the surname NEJAD, suggesting that the name was already in use during that era.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the NEJAD surname. One of the most prominent figures was Mirza Mohammad Khan Qajar Nejad (1789-1848), a prominent military commander and statesman during the Qajar dynasty in Persia. He played a significant role in the wars against the Russian Empire and was renowned for his leadership and bravery on the battlefield.

Another notable figure was Ali Akbar Nejad (1891-1966), a Persian diplomat and politician who served as Iran's ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. He was also briefly the Prime Minister of Iran in 1955.

In the realm of literature, Sadegh Hedayat Nejad (1903-1951) was a prominent Iranian writer and intellectual who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern Persian literature. His novel "The Blind Owl" is considered a masterpiece of Persian fiction and has been translated into multiple languages.

Moving forward in time, Abbas Nejad (1957-present) is a prominent Iranian-American philosopher and professor who has made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy. He is currently a professor at the University of Southern California.

Finally, Mahsa Amini Nejad (2000-2022) was an Iranian Kurdish woman whose tragic death in police custody sparked widespread protests against the Iranian government's strict laws regarding hijab and women's rights. Her case drew international attention and reignited discussions about human rights and civil liberties in Iran.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nejad

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

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

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

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