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

Yakub, 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 Yakub surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yakub in America

Yakub is the 78040th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yakub surname appeared 245 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 Yakub.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yakub 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 Yakub

The surname Yakub finds its origins primarily in the Middle East, with deep historical roots in Arabic-speaking regions. It dates back to at least the early medieval period, around the 7th century. The name Yakub is derived from the Arabic word "Yaʿqūb", which is the Arabic form of the Hebrew name "Yaakov", known in English as Jacob. This name has Semitic roots, and it prominently features in religious texts such as the Quran and the Bible, referring to the patriarch Jacob, one of the key figures in Abrahamic religions.

Historically, the surname Yakub has been found in various forms and transliterations, often influenced by regional dialects and script variations. In the Byzantine period, records show the name appearing in manuscripts and legal documents, indicating its presence among early Christian and Muslim communities. The use of the name is particularly prevalent in regions that were part of the Islamic Caliphate, stretching from the Iberian Peninsula to Persia.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Yakub in a formal document dates back to the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century. A notable historical reference is found in the works of the Persian scholar Al-Kindi, who mentioned a philosopher named Yakub bin Ishaq al-Sabbah al-Kindi, known simply as Al-Kindi, born in 801 and died in 873. Although Al-Kindi primarily used his patronymic, his given name and association with the moniker Yakub indicates the surname’s usage during that era.

During the medieval period, another significant figure bearing the surname was Yakub Al-Mansur, a notable Almohad Caliph who ruled during the 12th century from 1184 to 1199. He was known for his military campaigns and efforts to consolidate the empire in North Africa and Spain.

In Ottoman records from the 15th century, the surname Yakub appears frequently among the bureaucratic and scholarly classes. One prominent individual was Yakub Çelebi, an Ottoman statesman and son of Sultan Bayezid I. Yakub Çelebi played an important role in the early Ottoman administration and was politically active until his death in 1389.

Moving to the Mughal era in India, Yakub Khan was an influential figure during the 18th century, known for his governance and military leadership under the Mughal Emperor. His exact dates of birth and death are less clear, but his impact on regional politics and administration is well documented.

In more recent historical contexts, the British colonial period in South Asia saw the emergence of Yakub Beg, an Uzbek adventurer and military leader born in 1820, who established a short-lived state in Eastern Turkestan and resisted Qing dynasty authority until his death in 1877.

Through these historical references, it is evident that the surname Yakub has a rich and varied heritage, reflecting the cultural and geographical diversity of its bearers. These individuals span across different regions and centuries, showcasing the widespread influence and enduring legacy of the surname Yakub.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yakub

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

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

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

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