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

Tariq, 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 Tariq surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tariq in America

Tariq is the 16781st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tariq surname appeared 1,702 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 Tariq.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tariq 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 Tariq

The surname Tariq is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "tariq" meaning "the morning star" or "the bringer of light." The name can be traced back to the 7th century and the Arab conquests of the Iberian Peninsula, particularly the Islamic invasion of Spain in 711 CE, led by the Berber general Tariq ibn Ziyad.

Tariq ibn Ziyad, born around 670 CE, is considered the first person to bear this surname. He was a Berber Muslim commander who led the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, establishing the first Islamic rule in the region. His name has been recorded in various historical chronicles and manuscripts, including the works of Ibn Khaldun and Al-Razi.

During the Moorish rule of Spain, the name Tariq became popular among the Muslim population. It was often associated with bravery, leadership, and the spread of Islam. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tariq can be found in the "Repartimiento de Sevilla," a 13th-century document that listed the names of those who participated in the conquest of Seville in 1248.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname Tariq. One such individual was Abu Bakr ibn Tariq (1019-1094), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Valencia, Spain. Another was Tariq al-Zammouri (1234-1303), a Moroccan explorer and traveler who is believed to have reached the Canary Islands in the 13th century.

In the 15th century, the name Tariq appeared in various documents related to the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. For instance, the "Libro de Repartimiento de Lorca" from 1452 mentions a certain Tariq al-Lori, a Muslim landowner in the city of Lorca.

As the Moors were expelled from Spain in the late 15th century, many families with the surname Tariq migrated to North Africa, particularly to Morocco and Algeria. In these regions, the name continued to be prominent, with several notable figures emerging, such as Ahmed Tariq al-Masmoudi (1688-1766), a Moroccan scholar and author of the "Khulasatu al-Athar."

While the surname Tariq is primarily associated with the Arab and Muslim world, it has also been adopted by individuals of other ethnicities and religions, particularly in regions where Arabic influence has been significant, such as parts of the Middle East and North Africa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tariq

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

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

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

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