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

Noor, 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 Noor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Noor in America

Noor is the 12192nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Noor surname appeared 2,555 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Noor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Noor 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 Noor

The surname "NOOR" is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language, deriving from the word "nur" which means "light" or "radiance". This name is commonly found in regions with significant Muslim populations, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "NOOR" can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam and the spread of Arabic culture and language across the Middle East and North Africa. It is likely that the name was initially adopted by those who embraced Islam and sought names with religious or spiritual connotations.

In the medieval period, the surname "NOOR" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, particularly those documenting trade and migration patterns in the Islamic world. One notable example is the "Rihla" (travel narrative) of Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan scholar and explorer who journeyed across the Islamic lands in the 14th century.

As the Islamic empires expanded and trade routes flourished, the surname "NOOR" spread across various regions, including parts of Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. Over time, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, such as "NURI" and "NOORI", reflecting the diverse linguistic influences of different regions.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the surname "NOOR". One noteworthy figure was Noor al-Din Mahmoud Zangi (1118-1174), a renowned Muslim leader and military commander who played a significant role in the Crusades. Another prominent bearer of this name was Noor Inayat Khan (1914-1944), a British spy and Special Operations Executive agent during World War II, who was awarded the George Cross for her bravery.

Other notable individuals with the surname "NOOR" include Noor Hussain (1892-1944), a prominent Indian poet and writer known for his contributions to Urdu literature, and Noor Muhammad Kaka Khel (1928-2021), a Pakistani politician and former Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Today, the surname "NOOR" continues to be widely used across various Muslim communities around the world, serving as a reminder of its rich cultural and linguistic heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Noor

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

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

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

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