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

Syriac, 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 Syriac surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Syriac in America

Syriac is the 120901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Syriac surname appeared 143 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 Syriac.

We can also compare 2010 data for Syriac 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 Syriac

The surname "SYRIAC" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, with its roots traced back to the ancient Syriac language and culture. The Syriac language is a dialect of Aramaic, which was widely spoken in the regions of modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Iraq during the ancient and medieval periods.

One of the earliest known references to the name "SYRIAC" can be found in ancient manuscripts and historical records from the Byzantine Empire, where it was often used to refer to Christians who spoke the Syriac language and followed the Syriac Christian traditions. The name was likely derived from the word "Syriac" itself, which was used to describe the language and culture of the region.

In the 5th century, a prominent figure named Jacob of Serugh, also known as Jacob Syriac, was a renowned Syriac poet and theologian who played a significant role in the development of Syriac literature and religious thought. His writings and works contributed to the preservation and spread of Syriac culture and language.

Another notable individual with the surname "SYRIAC" was Philoxenus of Mabbug, a Syriac scholar and bishop who lived in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. He was known for his translations of Greek texts into Syriac and his contributions to the development of Syriac literature and theology.

In the 13th century, a Syriac monk and scholar named Bar Hebraeus, also known as Gregory Syriac, made significant contributions to Syriac literature, philosophy, and theology. His works covered a wide range of subjects, including grammar, theology, philosophy, and history.

During the medieval period, the name "SYRIAC" was also associated with Christian communities in the Middle East, particularly those who followed the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Syriac Catholic Church. These communities played a significant role in preserving and spreading Syriac culture and language throughout the region.

It is worth noting that the surname "SYRIAC" may have been adopted by individuals or families who had connections to the Syriac language, culture, or religious traditions, even if they did not necessarily originate from the regions traditionally associated with Syriac communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Syriac

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

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

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

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