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

Safari, 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 Safari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Safari in America

Safari is the 59324th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Safari surname appeared 341 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 Safari.

We can also compare 2010 data for Safari 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 Safari

The surname "SAFARI" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, most likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic word "safar," which means "journey" or "travel." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals or families who were known for their travels or adventures.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SAFARI" can be found in the Mughal Empire's historical records from the 16th century. During this time, the name was often associated with merchants, explorers, and travelers who traversed the vast territories of the Mughal Empire and beyond.

In the 18th century, the name "SAFARI" appeared in several British colonial records in India, indicating that some families with this surname may have lived in regions under British rule or had interactions with the colonial authorities.

Notable individuals with the surname "SAFARI" include:

1. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Safari (1835-1908), a prominent Islamic religious leader and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

2. Rajendra Prasad Safari (1884-1963), an Indian scholar and politician who served as the first President of independent India from 1950 to 1962.

3. Fatima Safari (born 1957), an Iranian filmmaker and screenwriter known for her award-winning films exploring social issues and women's rights.

4. Maryam Safari (born 1982), an Iranian-American mathematician and professor at Harvard University, renowned for her contributions to algebraic geometry and number theory.

5. Saadat Hasan Manto Safari (1912-1955), a renowned Pakistani writer, playwright, and author of short stories exploring the human condition during the tumultuous period of the Partition of India.

The surname "SAFARI" has also been associated with various place names and locations across South Asia, particularly in regions with historical links to trade routes and travel networks. Some examples include the town of Safari in Uttar Pradesh, India, and the Safari district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

While the surname "SAFARI" is relatively uncommon globally, it holds a rich history and cultural significance, reflecting the spirit of exploration, adventure, and the journey of life itself.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Safari

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

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

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

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