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

Sheikh, 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 Sheikh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sheikh in America

Sheikh is the 5384th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sheikh surname appeared 6,462 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sheikh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sheikh 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 Sheikh

The surname "SHEIKH" is of Arabic origin, and it is derived from the Arabic word "shaykh" which means "elder" or "chief." The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East, where it was traditionally used to refer to tribal leaders, religious scholars, or elders who held positions of authority and respect within their communities.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "SHEIKH" can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the early days of the Islamic era. The name is mentioned in various historical manuscripts and chronicles from that time period, often in reference to prominent Islamic scholars, poets, and religious figures.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "SHEIKH" was Abu Bakr al-Shibli, a renowned Sufi mystic and scholar who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century CE (776-946 CE). Another notable figure was Sheikh Farid al-Din Attar, a celebrated Persian poet and theoretician of Sufism who lived in the 12th century CE (1145-1221 CE).

In the 13th century CE, the name gained further prominence with the rise of the Sheikh al-Islam, a prestigious title bestowed upon the highest-ranking religious authority in the Ottoman Empire. One of the most famous holders of this title was Sheikh al-Islam Ebussuud Efendi (1490-1574 CE), who served as the chief jurisconsult and played a significant role in the development of Ottoman legal and religious institutions.

Moving forward in history, the surname "SHEIKH" continued to be associated with influential religious, political, and intellectual figures. One notable example is Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi (1564-1624 CE), a prominent Indian Islamic scholar and Sufi reformer who played a crucial role in the revival of Islamic mysticism in the Indian subcontinent.

Another prominent figure was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1920-1975 CE), the founding father of Bangladesh and the country's first Prime Minister, who led the struggle for independence from Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War.

While the surname "SHEIKH" has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has since become widespread across various regions and communities, transcending its original religious and ethnic boundaries. Throughout history, individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions in various fields, including religion, literature, politics, and social reform.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sheikh

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

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

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

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