Samad last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Samad

An Arabic surname meaning "eternal" or "everlasting".

Samad, 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 Samad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Samad in America

Samad is the 21912th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Samad surname appeared 1,185 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 Samad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Samad 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 21912 28856 -27.36%
Count 1,185 776 41.71%
Proportion per 100k 0.40 0.29 31.88%

The history of the last name Samad

The surname "SAMAD" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the regions of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It is derived from the Arabic word "samad," which means "eternal" or "everlasting." The name has a significant connection to Islamic culture and religious beliefs.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "SAMAD" can be traced back to the 9th century CE, during the Islamic Golden Age. It is mentioned in various historical manuscripts and records from that period, often associated with scholars, poets, and religious figures. One notable example is the Persian poet and philosopher Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, also known as Rhazes (865-925 CE), who is renowned for his contributions to the fields of medicine and philosophy.

In the 11th century, the surname "SAMAD" appears in the writings of the renowned Persian polymath, Al-Biruni (973-1048 CE), who documented the cultures and traditions of various regions in his scholarly works. This suggests that the name had gained prominence and recognition during that time.

As Islam spread across different regions, the surname "SAMAD" also found its way into various parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is believed that the name was carried by scholars, traders, and travelers who played a significant role in the dissemination of Islamic culture and knowledge.

One notable historical figure with the surname "SAMAD" was Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (1314-1384 CE), a renowned Sufi scholar and saint from Kashmir. He is credited with playing a crucial role in the spread of Islam in the region and is revered by both Sunni and Shia Muslims.

Another prominent individual with the surname "SAMAD" was Mirza Muhammad Hadi Ruswa (1857-1931 CE), a renowned Urdu novelist and scholar from British India. His novel "Umrao Jaan Ada" is considered a classic in Urdu literature and has been adapted into several films and television series.

In more recent times, the surname "SAMAD" has continued to be associated with scholars, writers, and intellectuals from various parts of the world. For example, Nureddin Sabir Samad (1927-2003 CE) was a prominent Turkish scholar and author who wrote extensively on Islamic philosophy and mysticism.

The surname "SAMAD" has also been associated with places and locations, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations. For instance, there is a town called "Samad" in the Chabahar County of Iran, and another village by the same name in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

Overall, the surname "SAMAD" has a rich historical background, rooted in Islamic culture and tradition. It has been carried by notable scholars, poets, and intellectuals throughout the centuries, reflecting the enduring nature of the name's meaning – "eternal" or "everlasting."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Samad

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

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 Samad was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 28.19% 334
Non-Hispanic Black Only 17.30% 205
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 44.30% 525
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.76% 9
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 6.33% 75
Hispanic Origin 3.12% 37

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 Samad has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 28.19% 27.32% 3.13%
Black 17.30% 14.69% 16.32%
Asian and Pacific Islander 44.30% 37.50% 16.63%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.76% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 6.33% 17.78% -94.98%
Hispanic 3.12% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Samad last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 21, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/samad-surname-popularity/.

"Samad last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/samad-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 November, 2024

Samad last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/samad-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.