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

Zafar, 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 Zafar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zafar in America

Zafar is the 15692nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zafar surname appeared 1,859 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 Zafar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zafar 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 Zafar

The surname Zafar has its origins in the Persian-speaking regions of the Middle East and Central Asia, particularly in areas such as Iran and Afghanistan. The name first appeared around the medieval period, possibly as early as the 12th century. From these regions, the name spread to the Indian subcontinent, especially during the Mughal era, where Persian cultural influence was strong.

Zafar is derived from the Persian word "ظفر," which means "victory" or "triumph." This word itself has a rich history, being used in various cultural and literary contexts. Variations in spelling, such as Zafar and Zaffar, may be observed due to transliteration differences.

One of the earliest historical references to the surname Zafar can be found in the records of the Mughal Empire. For instance, Zafar Khan was a prominent noble in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar during the late 16th century. He played an influential role in various military and administrative capacities, illustrating the name's association with leadership and success.

Another significant figure is Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor of India, who was born in 1775 and died in 1862. His reign marked the end of the Mughal Empire, and he is remembered not only for his political significance but also for his contributions to Urdu poetry.

In more academic circles, Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, born in 1952, emerged as a prominent Bangladeshi physicist and writer. His works in literature and science have made substantial contributions to both fields, reflecting the name's association with intellectual achievement.

Moving back in history, Zafar Ali Khan (1873-1956) was a notable figure in the Pakistan Movement. He was a journalist, poet, and politician who actively participated in the struggle for the independence of Pakistan from British rule.

An older reference comes from the Persian epic Shahnameh, written by the poet Ferdowsi around 1000 AD, where several characters bearing the title Zafar as a part of their names symbolize their heroic and triumphant nature.

The surname Zafar continues to evoke a sense of victory and success through its deep historical roots and significant figures who have carried the name through centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zafar

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

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

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

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