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

Tarabay, 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 Tarabay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tarabay in America

Tarabay is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tarabay surname appeared 136 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 Tarabay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tarabay 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 Tarabay

The surname Tarabay is believed to have originated in Lebanon, where it can be traced back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "tarab," which means "joy" or "delight." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who brought joy or pleasure to others, perhaps through music, poetry, or other artistic pursuits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tarabay can be found in the Ottoman tax records from the late 16th century, which listed several individuals with this surname living in the region of Mount Lebanon. These records provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution and prevalence of the name during this time period.

The Tarabay surname has also been linked to the village of Beit Chabab, located in the Metn District of Lebanon. It is possible that the name originated in this area and later spread to other parts of the country and beyond.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the Tarabay surname was Mikhail Tarabay, a prominent Maronite Catholic scholar and writer who lived from 1714 to 1790. His works, which covered topics such as theology, philosophy, and linguistics, were highly influential during his time and helped to preserve and promote the Syriac language and culture.

Another significant individual with the Tarabay surname was Yusuf Tarabay, a Lebanese politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1952 to 1953. He was born in 1892 and played a crucial role in the country's political landscape during the mid-20th century.

In the 19th century, the Tarabay surname can be found in various historical records from the Levant region, including Ottoman census records and traveler's accounts. One notable figure from this time period was Ibrahim Tarabay, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Beirut during the late 1800s.

As the Tarabay family spread across the globe through migration and diaspora, the name has been recorded in various spellings and variations, such as Tarabeh, Tarabi, and Tarabay. These variations often reflect regional dialects and linguistic influences, but they all trace back to the same linguistic roots in Lebanon.

While the Tarabay surname has a rich history and cultural significance in Lebanon and the broader Middle Eastern region, it has also gained recognition in other parts of the world, particularly through the achievements and contributions of individuals bearing this name in various fields, such as academia, literature, and business.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tarabay

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

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

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

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