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

Saleh, 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 Saleh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saleh in America

Saleh is the 3682nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saleh surname appeared 9,656 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Saleh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saleh 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 Saleh

The surname Saleh has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "salih" which means "pious" or "righteous". This name is commonly found in various regions of the Arab world, particularly in countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine.

The earliest recorded instances of the Saleh surname can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the Islamic Golden Age. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by individuals who were known for their devotion to the Islamic faith and their exemplary moral conduct.

In the 11th century, the name Saleh gained prominence through the renowned Islamic scholar and jurist, Taqī ad-Dīn Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah, also known as Ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328 CE). He was a highly influential figure in the field of Islamic jurisprudence and is considered a major authority in the Hanbali school of Islamic thought.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Saleh was Ali ibn Abi Talib (599-661 CE), the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. He was the fourth Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate and is revered by Sunni and Shia Muslims alike for his wisdom and leadership.

During the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria (1250-1517 CE), the name Saleh was commonly found among the ruling elite and military class. One prominent example is Baybars al-Saleh (1223-1277 CE), who was a Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and became known for his military victories against the Crusaders.

In the modern era, the Saleh surname has been carried by several influential figures, including Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006 CE), the renowned Egyptian novelist and Nobel Laureate in Literature. Another notable figure is Tawakkol Karman (born 1979 CE), a Yemeni human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who played a prominent role in the Yemeni Revolution of 2011.

The Saleh surname has a rich history and is deeply rooted in the Islamic faith and Arab culture. While its origins can be traced back to the 7th century, it continues to be a prominent surname across various regions of the Middle East and among Arab communities worldwide.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saleh

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

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

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

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