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

Wasim, 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 Wasim surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wasim in America

Wasim is the 86981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wasim surname appeared 214 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 Wasim.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wasim 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 Wasim

The surname WASIM is of Arabic origin and can be traced back to the 7th century AD during the early Islamic era. It is derived from the Arabic word "wasim," meaning "handsome" or "beautiful." The name is believed to have originated in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in the regions of modern-day Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

In the early days of Islam, names often reflected desirable qualities or virtues, and WASIM was likely given to individuals who possessed attractive physical features or a pleasing demeanor. The name's popularity spread with the expansion of the Islamic empire across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WASIM can be found in the "Kitab al-Ansab" (Book of Genealogies), a historical work compiled by the renowned Arab scholar and genealogist, al-Sam'ani, in the 11th century AD. This work documented the lineages and family trees of prominent Arab tribes and individuals.

During the medieval period, the name WASIM appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the Islamic world. For instance, it was mentioned in the "Sirat al-Mustaqim" (The Straight Path), a 12th-century biographical work by the Persian historian and writer, Ibn al-Jawzi.

One notable individual who bore the surname WASIM was Abu Bakr Mohammad ibn Wasim al-Andalusi (1010-1080 AD), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal). He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomical observations during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization.

Another historical figure with the surname WASIM was Sayyid Wasim al-Din (1335-1412 AD), a prominent Sufi mystic and poet from the Indian subcontinent. His literary works, particularly his poetic compositions, were highly acclaimed and influenced the development of Persian literature in the region.

In the 16th century, the name WASIM appeared in the "Akbar Nama" (Book of Akbar), a biographical account of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542-1605 AD), written by his court historian, Abul Fazl. This work mentioned a courtier named Wasim Khan, who served in Akbar's administration.

During the Ottoman Empire, the surname WASIM was also present, as evidenced by historical records from the 17th century. One notable figure was Wasim Efendi, an Ottoman scholar and judge who served in the imperial court of Sultan Mehmed IV (1642-1693 AD).

The surname WASIM has been associated with various places throughout history, including the city of Wasim (or Wasm) in present-day Yemen, which likely derived its name from the same Arabic root. Additionally, the name has been linked to the town of Wasim in the Moroccan region of Souss-Massa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wasim

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

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

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

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