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

Saafir, 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 Saafir surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saafir in America

Saafir is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saafir surname appeared 179 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 Saafir.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saafir 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 Saafir

The surname "SAAFIR" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the Arab regions of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula. It is derived from the Arabic word "safar," which means "travel" or "journey." The name likely originated during the medieval period, when many Arabs traveled extensively for trade, pilgrimage, or scholarly pursuits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "SAAFIR" can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and travelogues, where it was often used to describe individuals who embarked on long journeys or expeditions. These manuscripts provide valuable insights into the cultural and historical significance of the name.

In the 12th century, a renowned Arab scholar and traveler named Ibn Battuta, who was born in 1304 in Tangier, Morocco, held the surname "SAAFIR." His extensive travels across Africa, Asia, and Europe were documented in his famous travelogue, "The Rihla," which has become an invaluable source of information about the medieval world.

Another notable figure with the surname "SAAFIR" was Abu al-Qasim al-Saafir, a 10th-century Arab mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and trigonometry and is credited with introducing the concept of the sine function in mathematics.

During the Ottoman Empire, the surname "SAAFIR" was also associated with certain families or clans involved in long-distance trade and transportation. One such family was the Saafir clan from Damascus, Syria, who played a crucial role in facilitating trade routes between the Middle East and Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the 19th century, a prominent Egyptian scholar and reformer named Rifa'a al-Tahtawi, who was born in 1801, carried the surname "SAAFIR." He is renowned for his efforts to modernize education in Egypt and for his influential writings on the social and cultural reforms needed in the Arab world.

Another notable figure with the surname "SAAFIR" was Khalil al-Saafir, a Lebanese writer and journalist born in 1892. He was a pioneering figure in the Arab literary renaissance movement and played a significant role in promoting modern Arabic literature and journalism.

While the surname "SAAFIR" has its roots in the Arab world, it has since spread to various parts of the globe due to migration and cultural exchange. The name continues to carry a rich historical legacy and a connection to the spirit of travel, exploration, and intellectual pursuits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saafir

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

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

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

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