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

Sanusi, 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 Sanusi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sanusi in America

Sanusi is the 60196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sanusi surname appeared 335 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 Sanusi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sanusi 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 Sanusi

The surname SANUSI has its origins in the Arabic language and can be traced back to the 7th century AD, when the Islamic faith emerged in the Arabian Peninsula. It is believed that the name is derived from the root word 'sana', which means 'to shine' or 'to be radiant'.

In the early days of Islam, the name was likely associated with individuals who were deeply religious or held positions of spiritual significance within the community. As the religion spread across the Middle East and North Africa, the name SANUSI began to appear in various regions, often with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation to adapt to local languages and dialects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SANUSI can be found in a 9th-century manuscript from the city of Fez, Morocco. This document mentions a scholar and religious leader named Ahmad al-Sanusi, who played a significant role in spreading Islamic teachings throughout the region.

During the medieval period, the SANUSI name gained prominence in several parts of North Africa, particularly in Libya and Algeria. In the 19th century, a renowned Sufi order known as the Sanusiyya was established by Muhammad ibn Ali al-Sanusi, a religious scholar and reformer born in 1787 in present-day Algeria. This order had a profound influence on the social and political landscape of the region and played a crucial role in resisting European colonialism.

One of the most notable figures bearing the SANUSI surname was Idris al-Sanusi (1890-1983), who served as the King of Libya from 1951 until his deposition in 1969. He was a prominent advocate for Libyan independence and played a pivotal role in the country's transition from Italian colonial rule to sovereignty.

Another notable individual with the SANUSI surname was Abd al-Rahman al-Sanusi (1899-1959), a Libyan scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the preservation of Islamic culture and heritage. His works on Islamic philosophy and literature are widely respected and studied to this day.

In addition to these historical figures, the SANUSI surname has been carried by several other influential individuals throughout the centuries, including religious leaders, scholars, and political figures. While the name may have originated in the Arab world, it has since spread to various parts of the globe, often reflecting the diverse cultural and linguistic influences encountered by those who bear it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sanusi

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

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

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

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