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

Rahaman, 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 Rahaman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rahaman in America

Rahaman is the 22421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rahaman surname appeared 1,148 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 Rahaman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rahaman 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 Rahaman

The surname RAHAMAN is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Bengal (now divided between Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal). The name is derived from the Arabic name "Rahman," which means "the Merciful One" and is one of the names of God in Islam.

The earliest recorded instances of the RAHAMAN surname can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Mughal Empire's rule over the Indian subcontinent. During this period, many Muslims from Central Asia and Persia migrated to the region, and it is likely that the name was introduced to Bengal at that time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the RAHAMAN surname was Maulana Abdul Rahaman, a renowned Islamic scholar and poet who lived in Bengal during the late 16th century. His works, which included poetry and religious texts, were widely influential in the region.

In the 18th century, the RAHAMAN surname was also found among the Muslim communities of the Sylhet region, which is now part of Bangladesh. One notable figure from this period was Haji Rahaman Syed, a wealthy merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the region's trade and economy.

As the British Empire expanded its influence in the Indian subcontinent, the RAHAMAN surname began to appear in colonial records. One such record is the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document that recorded the names and details of various officials and landowners in the Mughal Empire, including individuals with the RAHAMAN surname.

In the 19th century, the RAHAMAN surname gained prominence in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), which was a major center of trade and culture in Bengal. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Sir Abdur Rahaman, a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court from 1890 to 1895.

Another notable figure with the RAHAMAN surname was Munshi Abdur Rahaman, a renowned Bengali writer and educator who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was known for his contributions to Bengali literature and his efforts to promote education in the region.

Throughout history, the RAHAMAN surname has been associated with various professions, including scholars, merchants, landowners, and professionals. While the name originated in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rahaman

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

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

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

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