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

Zanjani, 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 Zanjani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zanjani in America

Zanjani is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zanjani surname appeared 118 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 Zanjani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zanjani 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 Zanjani

The surname Zanjani has its origins in Iran, particularly from the city of Zanjan, located in the northwestern part of the country. The name Zanjani itself derives from the Persian term Zanjan, which means "place of battle" or “land of courage”. The suffix -i in Persian surnames typically denotes geographical origin, indicating that the bearer is from Zanjan. This practice started becoming more common during the medieval period as Persian culture developed a formal system of surnames and identification.

Zanjan has a rich history dating back to the Median and Achaemenid periods around the first millennium BCE. The region was historically significant and mentioned in various ancient Persian records. As the city grew in prominence, it became a notable center for trade and culture, which further cemented the use of Zanjani as an identifying surname for people hailing from this region.

The earliest recorded examples of the surname Zanjani can be traced back to written Persian manuscripts from the medieval period. One such reference appears in the writings of al-Biruni, a renowned 11th-century Persian scholar who mentioned scholars from Zanjan in his works. Among these scholars was Abu Hamid Zanjani, an Islamic jurist whose work influenced legal thought during his time. Specific birth and death years for Abu Hamid Zanjani are elusive but his flourishing period aligns with the early 11th century.

As time progressed, notable individuals bearing the surname Zanjani appeared in various domains. The 15th-century Persian poet and mystic Kamal-ud-Din Zanjani is remembered for his contributions to Persian literature and Sufi thought. His lyrical poetry is still studied for its spiritual depth and artistic merit.

In the 19th century, a significant figure was Mirza Abu Taleb Zanjani, a cleric known for his political influence and reformist ideas during the Qajar dynasty. His efforts in the fields of religious study and political thought underline his importance in Iranian history.

Another prominent individual was the scholar and historian Agha Reza Zanjani, born in 1864 and known for his meticulous works on the history of Iran. His birth and death years cement his role during a period of significant change and modernization in Iran.

More recently, Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli Zanjani, born in 1891, was a respected Shiite religious leader known for his writings and religious discourses. Although he passed away in 1963, his legacy continues through his contributions to religious scholarship and his numerous followers in Iran.

These individuals, spanning from the medieval period to the 20th century, highlight the rich historical tapestry associated with the surname Zanjani. Each figure has left a significant impact on Persian culture, literature, politics, and religion, thereby ensuring that the surname remains an important marker of Iranian heritage and identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zanjani

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

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

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

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