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

Sawi, 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 Sawi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sawi in America

Sawi is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sawi surname appeared 106 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 Sawi.

The history of the last name Sawi

The surname "Sawi" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of modern-day Iran and Iraq. It likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 7th to 10th centuries.

The name "Sawi" is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "sawa," which means "equal" or "level." This suggests that the surname may have initially referred to someone who lived on a flat or level area, or someone who was known for their fair and equitable nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Sawi" dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in a manuscript detailing the travels of a Persian scholar named Ahmad ibn Fadlan. In his writings, ibn Fadlan mentioned encountering a group of people referred to as the "Sawi" during his travels through the region of modern-day Russia.

In the 13th century, the name "Sawi" was also found in the chronicles of the Mamluk Dynasty, which ruled over Egypt, Syria, and parts of the Levant. These records mention a prominent military commander named Baibars al-Sawi, who played a significant role in the Mamluk conquest of the Crusader states in the Holy Land.

Another notable figure with the surname "Sawi" was the 14th-century Persian poet and scholar, Kamal al-Din al-Sawi. He was renowned for his contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and his collection of poetic works, which have been preserved and studied by scholars over the centuries.

During the Ottoman period, the surname "Sawi" was also present in various regions of the empire. One notable individual was Mustafa Sawi, a 17th-century Ottoman architect who designed several significant buildings in Istanbul, including the Yeni Mosque and the Yeni Valide Mosque.

In the 19th century, the surname "Sawi" appeared in records from the region of modern-day Iraq, where it was associated with several prominent families and individuals. One such figure was Abdul-Karim al-Sawi, a renowned Islamic scholar and theologian who lived in the city of Najaf and authored several influential works on Islamic jurisprudence.

Over the centuries, the surname "Sawi" has also been found in various spellings and variations, such as "Savi," "Savvi," and "Sawy," reflecting the diversity of languages and dialects in the regions where it originated and spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sawi

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

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 Sawi 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.

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

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

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