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

Tabassum, 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 Tabassum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tabassum in America

Tabassum is the 55841st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tabassum surname appeared 367 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 Tabassum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tabassum 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 Tabassum

The surname Tabassum has its origins in the Arabic language, and it is believed to have first emerged in the Middle East during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Arabic word "tabassama," which means "to smile" or "to beam." This suggests that the surname may have initially been given to individuals who were known for their cheerful and radiant demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tabassum can be found in an 11th-century manuscript from the region of Persia (modern-day Iran). This document mentions a scholar and poet named Ahmad ibn Tabassum, who lived during the Seljuk Empire. It is possible that the surname originated as a descriptive name for this individual or his ancestors due to their smiling or cheerful nature.

In the 13th century, there are records of a nobleman named Izz al-Din Tabassum who served under the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. This indicates that the surname had spread from its Middle Eastern roots and had gained some prominence among the ruling classes of the time.

During the 15th century, a famous Persian poet named Kamal al-Din Tabassum rose to prominence. His works, which often celebrated love and the beauty of nature, were widely acclaimed and contributed to the recognition of the Tabassum name in literary circles.

In the 18th century, a notable figure named Muhammad Tabassum Khan was a prominent military commander in the Mughal Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent. His exploits and bravery in battle may have further enhanced the reputation of the Tabassum surname.

Another notable individual bearing this surname was Mirza Tabassum Baig, a 19th-century poet and scholar from the Lucknow region of India. His works, which explored themes of spirituality and human emotions, were highly regarded and helped to spread the Tabassum name among the literati of the time.

While the surname Tabassum has its roots in the Arab world, it has since been adopted by people of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, particularly in South Asia and parts of the Middle East. The name's association with cheerfulness and positivity has likely contributed to its enduring appeal across generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tabassum

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!