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

Shirin, 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 Shirin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shirin in America

Shirin is the 145220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shirin surname appeared 114 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 Shirin.

The history of the last name Shirin

The surname SHIRIN originated in Persia, now modern-day Iran, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Persian word "shirin," which translates to "sweet" or "lovely." This surname likely emerged as a descriptive name, given to individuals with a pleasant or charming demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SHIRIN can be found in the "Shahnameh," the epic Persian poem composed by Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. The poem mentions a character named Shirin, who was a renowned beauty and the beloved of Khosrow Parviz, the Sassanid king of Persia.

In the 12th century, the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi wrote the celebrated romantic poem "Khosrow and Shirin," further popularizing the name. This work is considered a masterpiece of Persian literature and has influenced various art forms throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.

During the Safavid dynasty in Persia (1501-1736), the surname SHIRIN gained prominence among the nobility and aristocracy. One notable figure was Shirin Banu Begum, a princess who lived in the 16th century and was renowned for her beauty, intelligence, and patronage of the arts.

In the 19th century, a famous bearer of the surname SHIRIN was Shirin Khanum (1805-1857), a renowned Iranian poet and calligrapher. She was renowned for her eloquent and mystical poetry, as well as her exquisite calligraphic works.

Another notable person with the surname SHIRIN was Shirin Ebadi (born 1947), an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her efforts in promoting democracy and human rights, particularly the rights of women and children in Iran.

While the surname SHIRIN is predominantly found in Iran and among Iranian diaspora communities, it has also been adopted by other cultures and ethnicities over time, particularly in the Middle East and Central Asia, where Persian influence has been significant.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shirin

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

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

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

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