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

Sami, 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 Sami surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sami in America

Sami is the 22906th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sami surname appeared 1,117 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 Sami.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sami 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 Sami

The surname SAMI has its origins tracing back to the Middle East and North Africa, where it was a common name among people of Arabic and Berber descent. The name is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "sami," which means "exalted" or "elevated."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SAMI can be found in the historical annals of the Umayyad Caliphate, which ruled over a vast empire stretching from the Iberian Peninsula to parts of Central Asia during the 7th and 8th centuries. The name appears in various manuscripts and chronicles of the time, often associated with prominent scholars, poets, and military figures.

In the 10th century, the name SAMI gained further prominence in the region of modern-day Iran and Iraq, where it was borne by several influential individuals. One notable example is Abu al-Rayhan al-Biruni, a renowned scholar, mathematician, and astronomer who lived from 973 to 1048 CE. His extensive works on various scientific disciplines earned him the title "Master" among his contemporaries.

As the centuries progressed, the surname SAMI spread across the Middle East and North Africa, carried by travelers, traders, and migrating populations. In the 13th century, the name appeared in records from the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and the Levant, where it was associated with administrative officials and military commanders.

During the Ottoman Empire's reign, which lasted from the 14th to the early 20th century, the surname SAMI was found among the intellectual and cultural elite of the region. One notable figure was Şemseddin Sami, a renowned Ottoman scholar, lexicographer, and writer who lived from 1850 to 1904. His contributions to the modernization of the Turkish language and the compilation of comprehensive dictionaries were invaluable.

Another historically significant individual bearing the surname SAMI was Adib Ismail Sami, an Egyptian writer, journalist, and political activist who lived from 1859 to 1923. He played a pivotal role in the Egyptian nationalist movement and was a vocal advocate for independence from British colonial rule.

Throughout its long history, the surname SAMI has been carried by numerous other notable individuals across various fields, including literature, art, science, and politics. Its enduring presence serves as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and intellectual traditions of the regions where it originated and flourished.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sami

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sami, 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!