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

Tajik, 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 Tajik surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tajik in America

Tajik is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tajik surname appeared 110 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 Tajik.

The history of the last name Tajik

The surname Tajik originated in Central Asia, particularly in present-day Tajikistan and surrounding regions. It can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when the people inhabiting these areas were known as Tajiks or Persians.

The name likely derives from the Persian word "Tazik," which referred to the Iranian peoples who settled in Central Asia after the Arab conquests of the 7th century. This term was used to distinguish them from the Turkic and Mongol populations that later arrived in the region.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Tajik can be found in the works of the 11th-century Persian scholar Al-Biruni, who wrote extensively about the peoples and cultures of Central Asia.

By the 13th century, the term Tajik had become more solidified as an ethnic designation, and it appeared in various historical chronicles and traveler's accounts from that period.

In the 14th century, the renowned historian and traveler Ibn Battuta mentioned the Tajiks in his writings, describing them as the inhabitants of the cities and urban centers of Central Asia, distinct from the nomadic Turkic and Mongol tribes.

Over the centuries, the Tajik surname has been associated with several notable figures, including:

1. Sadriddin Ayni (1878-1954), a prominent Tajik writer, educator, and public figure who played a significant role in the development of modern Tajik literature and culture.

2. Boboqul Ghafurov (1909-1977), a Tajik historian and statesman who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan and wrote extensively on the history of Central Asia.

3. Fayzulla Khojaev (1896-1938), a Tajik revolutionary and politician who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic in the 1920s.

4. Mirzo Tursunzoda (1911-1977), a Tajik poet, playwright, and political figure, considered one of the founders of modern Tajik literature.

5. Loiq Sher-Ali (1941-2008), a renowned Tajik singer and musician who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional Tajik music.

While the surname Tajik has its roots in Central Asia, it has also been adopted by individuals and families in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with historical ties to the Persian cultural sphere.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tajik

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

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 Tajik 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.

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

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

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