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

Shafqat, 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 Shafqat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shafqat in America

Shafqat is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shafqat surname appeared 135 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 Shafqat.

The history of the last name Shafqat

The surname "SHAFQAT" is of Arabic origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle East and the Arabic-speaking regions of the world. It is derived from the Arabic word "shafaqah," which means "mercy" or "compassion."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in historical records and manuscripts from the medieval Islamic world, particularly in regions like modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. The surname was likely initially adopted by families or individuals who embodied the qualities of mercy and compassion, or who were known for their charitable deeds.

During the 12th century, the renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher Al-Ghazali, whose full name was Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Tusi al-Shafqat, is one of the earliest recorded individuals to bear the name Shafqat. He was born in Tus, present-day Iran, in 1058 and died in 1111.

Another notable figure with the surname Shafqat was the 14th-century Sufi mystic and poet, Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz al-Shafqat, better known as Hafiz. He was born in Shiraz, present-day Iran, around 1315 and is renowned for his lyrical poems that celebrated love, spirituality, and the divine.

In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire's renowned architect, Mimar Sinan, whose full name was Sinan bin Abdulmennan al-Shafqat, left a lasting legacy with his architectural masterpieces, including the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

As the Arabic-speaking world expanded through trade and conquest, the surname Shafqat spread to various regions, including parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. One notable figure from this era was the 17th-century Mughal prince and poet, Dara Shikoh, whose mother's name was Nadira Banu Begum Shafqat.

In the 19th century, the Syrian scholar and intellectual, Butrus al-Bustani, whose full name was Butrus ibn Bulus al-Shafqat al-Bustani, played a significant role in the Renaissance of Arabic literature and education in the region.

While the surname Shafqat has its origins in the Arabic-speaking world, it has since spread to various parts of the globe, carried by individuals and families who trace their ancestry back to the Middle East or regions influenced by Arabic culture and language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shafqat

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

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

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

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