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

Sudan, 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 Sudan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sudan in America

Sudan is the 66553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sudan surname appeared 297 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 Sudan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sudan 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 Sudan

The surname Sudan is believed to have originated from the country of Sudan in northeastern Africa. It is likely derived from the Arabic word "bilad al-sudan," which translates to "land of the black people." The name itself dates back to the 14th century, when it was used to refer to the region now known as Sudan.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Sudan can be found in historical documents and manuscripts from the medieval period. One notable example is the work of renowned Arab scholar and traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited the region in the 14th century and referred to it as "bilad al-sudan" in his writings.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Sudan was associated with the powerful Funj Sultanate, a Muslim kingdom that ruled over parts of modern-day Sudan and South Sudan. Several rulers from this dynasty bore the surname Sudan, including Sultan Badi II Sudan (reigned 1586-1592) and Sultan Unsa III Sudan (reigned 1623-1636).

In the 19th century, the region came under the control of the Ottoman Empire and was later colonized by the British. During this period, the name Sudan was commonly used to refer to the geographical area, and it eventually became the official name of the country upon its independence in 1956.

Some notable historical figures with the surname Sudan include:

1. Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi (1844-1885), a Sudanese religious leader and revolutionary who led a successful uprising against the Turco-Egyptian rulers of Sudan.

2. Abdallahi ibn Muhammad (1846-1899), a Sudanese military leader and the fourth Caliph of the Mahdist State in Sudan.

3. Ali Abd al-Latif (1886-1957), a Sudanese writer, journalist, and political activist who played a crucial role in the Sudanese nationalist movement.

4. Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim (1924-2017), a Sudanese writer, feminist, and human rights activist known for her contributions to Sudanese literature and advocacy for women's rights.

5. Abdel Gadir Salim (1925-2010), a Sudanese painter and artist who is considered a pioneer of modern Sudanese art.

It is worth noting that while the surname Sudan is primarily associated with the country of Sudan, it may also be found in other parts of Africa and the Middle East, where it could have different origins or meanings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sudan

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

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

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

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