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

Salama, 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 Salama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salama in America

Salama is the 17472nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salama surname appeared 1,613 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 Salama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salama 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 Salama

The surname Salama is believed to have originated from the Arabic word "Salama," which means "peace" or "safety." This name is commonly found in various parts of the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in countries with a significant Arab population.

The earliest known records of the surname Salama can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic conquests and the spread of the Arabic language and culture across the region. It is possible that the name was initially adopted by individuals or families who embraced the principles of peace and safety as embodied in the Islamic faith.

In the 11th century, the name Salama appeared in several historical documents and manuscripts from the region, including chronicles and literary works. One notable example is the writings of the renowned Arab polymath and philosopher, Al-Biruni, who mentioned individuals with the surname Salama in his works.

During the medieval period, the surname Salama was also found in various regions of the Iberian Peninsula, where the Moors had established their presence. Several prominent figures from this era bore the name, including Abu Salama al-Rundi, a 12th-century Andalusian poet and scholar from Ronda, Spain.

In the 14th century, the name Salama appeared in records from the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt, indicating its presence in the region at that time. One notable figure was Salama ibn Muhammad al-Misri, a 14th-century Egyptian jurist and scholar who wrote extensively on Islamic law and jurisprudence.

As the Arabic-speaking world expanded, the surname Salama spread to other regions, including parts of the Levant and North Africa. In the 16th century, the name was recorded in Ottoman Empire documents, with individuals such as Salama al-Halabi, a renowned 16th-century Syrian scholar and writer, bearing the name.

Throughout history, the surname Salama has been associated with various professions, including scholars, poets, jurists, and religious figures. Some other notable individuals who carried this name include Ahmad Salama Pasha (1836-1925), an Egyptian poet and playwright; Salama Moussa (1887-1958), an Egyptian writer and intellectual; and Salama Khadra al-Jayyusi (1926-2021), a renowned Syrian literary critic and academic.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salama

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

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

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

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