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

Sultan, 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 Sultan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sultan in America

Sultan is the 9648th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sultan surname appeared 3,363 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Sultan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sultan 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 Sultan

The surname Sultan is derived from the Arabic word "sultan" which means "authority" or "ruler". It originated in the Middle East and Central Asia, where it was used as a title for powerful monarchs and leaders.

The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 10th century, when it was used by the Ghaznavid Empire in modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. The name gained prominence during the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over vast territories across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe from the 13th to the 20th century.

One of the most famous Sultans in history was Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He was known for his military campaigns, legal reforms, and patronage of the arts and architecture.

Another notable figure with the surname Sultan was Saladin (1137-1193), the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He is revered for his military victories against the Crusaders and his chivalrous conduct during the Siege of Jerusalem.

In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Sultan was often associated with the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the region from the 16th to the 19th century. One of the most famous Mughal rulers was Akbar the Great (1542-1605), who is renowned for his religious tolerance and administrative reforms.

The name also has a presence in Southeast Asia, where it was adopted by Muslim rulers and aristocrats. One example is Sultan Iskandar Muda (1590-1636), the Sultan of Aceh in modern-day Indonesia, who was known for his military campaigns and patronage of literature and the arts.

In Europe, the surname Sultan is relatively rare, but it can be found in regions with a historical Muslim presence, such as Spain and the Balkans. One notable figure was Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), the Sultan of Morocco, who is remembered for his military campaigns and the construction of the city of Meknes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sultan

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

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

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

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