Shirani last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Shirani

A Persian surname originally referring to someone from the city of Shiraz, Iran.

Shirani, 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 Shirani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shirani in America

Shirani is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shirani surname appeared 100 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 Shirani.

The history of the last name Shirani

The surname "SHIRANI" originates from Iran and has its roots in the Persian language. It is believed to have emerged during the 10th century AD, when the region was under the rule of the Samanid Empire.

The name is derived from the Persian word "Shiran," which translates to "Land of Lions" or "Abode of Lions." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a particular region or town known for its fierce inhabitants or the presence of lions.

Early records of the name can be found in ancient Persian manuscripts and chronicles, where individuals bearing the surname Shirani are mentioned as scholars, poets, and military leaders.

One of the earliest known figures with the surname Shirani was Abu Ali Hasan ibn Ahmad Shirani, a renowned Persian poet who lived in the 11th century. His works, which include ghazals and qasidas, have been widely studied and celebrated in the Persian literary tradition.

Another notable figure was Rukn al-Din Shirani, a 13th-century Persian mystic and poet known for his spiritual teachings and contributions to Sufi literature. His poetic work, "Saqi-nama," is considered a masterpiece of Persian mystical poetry.

In the 14th century, the name gained prominence with the rise of the Shirani family, a powerful clan hailing from the region of Shiraz. This family produced several influential figures, including Amir Shamsu'd-Din Shirani, a respected military commander who served under the Muzaffarid dynasty.

During the Safavid period (1501-1736), the surname Shirani was associated with distinguished scholars and religious figures. One such figure was Shaikh Muhammad Shirani, a renowned theologian and jurist who authored several important works on Islamic jurisprudence.

Another notable figure from this period was Mirza Muhammad Taqi Shirani, a prominent poet and calligrapher who served as the court poet during the reign of Shah Abbas I.

The surname Shirani continues to be prevalent in various regions of Iran, particularly in the cities of Shiraz and Isfahan, where it has a long-standing historical presence. Throughout its history, the name has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, poets, military leaders, and religious figures, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Persian civilization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shirani

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

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 Shirani was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 77.00% 77
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 16.00% 16
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 6.00% 6
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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

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

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"Shirani last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 24, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/shirani-surname-popularity/.

"Shirani last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/shirani-surname-popularity/. Accessed 24 August, 2025

Shirani last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/shirani-surname-popularity/.

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