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

Sahara, 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 Sahara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sahara in America

Sahara is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sahara surname appeared 172 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 Sahara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sahara 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 Sahara

The surname "Sahara" is believed to have originated in North Africa, specifically in the regions surrounding the vast Sahara Desert. This name is thought to have its roots in Arabic, with the word "sahara" meaning "desert" or "wilderness."

The earliest recorded instances of the name "Sahara" can be traced back to the medieval period, when it was used to identify individuals hailing from the Saharan regions. In some historical documents, it appears as "Al-Sahara," indicating a connection to the desert landscape.

One notable early reference to the name "Sahara" is found in the writings of renowned Arab scholars and travelers, such as Ibn Battuta, who documented his extensive journeys across North Africa and the Sahara Desert in the 14th century. His accounts provide insights into the nomadic tribes and settlements that dotted the desert expanse, some of whom may have borne the surname "Sahara."

The name "Sahara" has also been associated with various place names and geographical features in the region. For instance, the ancient city of Siwa, located in Egypt's Western Desert, was once referred to as "Sahara Oasis" due to its strategic location on the edges of the Sahara.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname "Sahara." One such figure was Ahmed al-Sahara, a renowned 16th-century scholar and poet from Morocco, renowned for his contributions to Arabic literature. Another was Fatima al-Sahara, a prominent 18th-century Berber woman from Algeria, known for her leadership and advocacy for women's rights.

In the realm of exploration, the name "Sahara" is closely tied to the German explorer, geographer, and writer, Gerhard Rohlfs, who undertook extensive expeditions across the Sahara Desert in the 19th century. His writings and maps played a crucial role in advancing Western knowledge of the region.

Additionally, the surname "Sahara" has been associated with various artistic and cultural figures, such as the Moroccan painter and sculptor, Mohamed Sahara (1932-2010), whose works captured the essence of the desert landscape and its people.

While the name "Sahara" may have evolved over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation, its connection to the vast desert expanse of North Africa remains deeply rooted in its etymology and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sahara

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

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

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

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