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

Suhail, 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 Suhail surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Suhail in America

Suhail is the 72568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Suhail surname appeared 268 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 Suhail.

We can also compare 2010 data for Suhail 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 Suhail

The surname Suhail has its origins rooted in the Arabic language and is believed to have emerged during the medieval Islamic era. Its earliest known use dates back to around the 7th century CE, when Arab tribes began expanding their territories and spreading their cultural influence across various regions.

The name Suhail is derived from the Arabic word "سهيل" (suhail), which translates to "the bright star" or "the brilliant one." This connection to celestial bodies likely stems from the significance of stars and constellations in Arabian culture and astronomy. The name is often associated with the bright star Canopus, which is also known as Suhail in Arabic.

Historical references to the surname Suhail can be found in various medieval Arabic manuscripts and records. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Kitab al-Aghani (The Book of Songs), a renowned anthology of Arabic poetry compiled in the 9th century CE by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani.

The earliest recorded examples of individuals bearing the surname Suhail can be traced back to the 10th century CE. One such individual was Abu al-Qasim al-Suhail, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer who lived in Baghdad during the reign of the Abbasid Caliphate (c. 920 – 1000 CE).

Another notable figure was Umar al-Suhail, a prominent Arab poet and scholar who flourished in Seville, Spain, during the 11th century CE. His poetic works and literary contributions have been widely celebrated and studied throughout the Arab world.

In the 12th century, Al-Suhail al-Dimashqi, a Syrian astronomer and mathematician, gained recognition for his astronomical observations and calculations. He is particularly known for his work on the determination of the obliquity of the ecliptic, a crucial concept in celestial mechanics.

During the 13th century, Ibn al-Suhail, a Moroccan scholar and historian, authored a comprehensive history of the Almohad dynasty, which ruled over much of North Africa and parts of Spain. His work, titled "Al-Rawdh al-Unuf" (The Pleasant Garden), is considered a valuable source for understanding the political and cultural landscape of that era.

In the 14th century, Suhail al-Baghdadi, an Arab traveler and explorer, embarked on a remarkable journey through Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. His travelogue, "Kitab al-Rihalat" (The Book of Travels), provides a fascinating insight into the cultural diversity and trade routes of the time.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the surname Suhail throughout history, highlighting its deep-rooted connections to Arabic culture, literature, astronomy, and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Suhail

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

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

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

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