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

Raoof, 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 Raoof surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raoof in America

Raoof is the 92719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raoof surname appeared 198 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 Raoof.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raoof 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 Raoof

The surname "RAOOF" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the region of modern-day Iran and neighboring countries. It is thought to have emerged sometime around the 7th or 8th century AD during the early years of the Islamic caliphates.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in Arabic texts from the 9th century, where it was mentioned as a surname or family name among noble families in the region. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Ra'uf," which means "kind" or "compassionate," suggesting that it may have been bestowed upon individuals known for their gentle and caring nature.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including court chronicles and regional administrative documents. One notable figure bearing the surname Raoof was Abu al-Qasim Raoof al-Khurasani, a renowned Persian scholar who lived in the 10th century and made significant contributions to the fields of literature and philosophy.

The name also found its way into the annals of Persian poetry, with several notable poets bearing the surname Raoof, such as Ahmad Raoof, a celebrated 12th-century poet from the city of Nishapur in modern-day Iran. His poetic works, which often explored themes of love and spirituality, were widely admired and influenced generations of Persian literary figures.

As the Islamic empires expanded and trade routes crisscrossed the region, the name Raoof likely spread across different parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. One notable figure from this period was Mir Sayyid Ali Raoof, a 16th-century Sufi scholar and poet who hailed from the city of Mashhad in present-day Iran.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, as various dynasties and empires rose and fell in the region, the Raoof surname continued to be associated with prominent families and individuals. One such figure was Mohammad Raoof Khan, a influential military leader and statesman who served under the Afsharid dynasty in the mid-18th century.

Throughout its history, the surname Raoof has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from scholars and poets to military leaders and statesmen. While its origins can be traced back to the early Islamic era, the name has endured and continues to be found across various regions and cultures in the modern world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raoof

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

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

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

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