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

Salah, 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 Salah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salah in America

Salah is the 16195th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salah surname appeared 1,783 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Salah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salah 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 Salah

The surname SALAH has its origins in the Arabic language, and it is believed to have emerged in the Middle East during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Arabic word "salah," which translates to "prayer" or "supplication." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who were deeply religious or held positions within religious institutions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SALAH can be found in historical documents from the region of modern-day Lebanon and Syria, dating back to the 12th century. These records often mention individuals bearing the name SALAH in connection with various professions, such as scholars, merchants, and artisans.

During the 13th century, the name SALAH gained prominence in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the region of Andalusia, which was under Moorish rule at the time. Several prominent figures with the surname SALAH emerged during this period, including Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Salah, a renowned scholar and jurist who lived in the 13th century and authored several influential works on Islamic jurisprudence.

The surname SALAH can also be traced back to the city of Salah, located in present-day Morocco. It is possible that individuals from this city or region adopted the name SALAH as a way to identify their place of origin.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname SALAH. One such figure was Nur al-Din Salah, a Kurdish military leader and Sultan of Syria who lived from 1137 to 1174. He played a crucial role in the defense of the Muslim territories against the Crusaders and is remembered for his military campaigns and leadership.

Another prominent individual with the surname SALAH was Muhammad ibn Salah al-Bahnasi, an Egyptian scholar and historian who lived in the 13th century. He is best known for his work "Al-Isharah ila man Nala al-Wizarah," which provides valuable insights into the administrative and political structures of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt.

In the realm of literature, Ahmad ibn Salah al-Misri, an Egyptian poet and scholar from the 15th century, left a lasting impact with his poetic works and contributions to Arabic literature.

It is worth noting that the surname SALAH has also been found in other regions, such as the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, suggesting that individuals bearing this name may have migrated or traveled to these areas over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salah

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

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

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

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