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

Saraf, 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 Saraf surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saraf in America

Saraf is the 39419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saraf surname appeared 558 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 Saraf.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saraf 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 Saraf

The surname SARAF originates from India, specifically from the northern regions of the country. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Sarraf," which means "money changer" or "banker." The name first appeared around the 12th century CE, during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate.

SARAF was a prominent surname among the trading and banking communities in medieval India. The name was commonly found in historical records and manuscripts from the Mughal era, particularly in areas like Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Some of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the SARAF surname was Mian Mir Saraf, a renowned Sufi saint who lived in Lahore during the 16th and 17th centuries. He was known for his spiritual teachings and is credited with laying the foundation stone of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Another notable figure was Munshi Mehraj-ud-din Saraf, a renowned scholar and author from Delhi who lived in the late 18th century. He wrote several books on Islamic jurisprudence and Arabic grammar, including the acclaimed "Qawaid-e-Farsi."

In the 19th century, the SARAF family played a prominent role in the economic and cultural life of northern India. Lala Babu Mal Saraf was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Delhi who funded the construction of several educational institutions and public buildings in the city.

During the British Raj, the SARAF surname was also found among the influential business communities in cities like Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Bombay (now Mumbai). One notable figure was Sir Ratanji Dadabhoy Saraf, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Another eminent individual with the SARAF surname was Rai Bahadur Lala Ramnath Saraf, a philanthropist and patron of the arts from Delhi. He was instrumental in preserving and promoting traditional Indian music and dance forms in the early 20th century.

Over the centuries, the SARAF surname has been closely associated with the trading, banking, and business communities of northern India. While the name has its roots in the Sanskrit language, it has also been influenced by various regional dialects and has several variations in spelling, such as Sarraf, Saraff, and Saraaf.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saraf

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

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

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

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