Explore the Family Name Karim
The meaning of Karim
Arabic: from a personal name based on karīm ‘kind, generous’. Al-Karīm ‘the Most Generous’ is an attribute of God/Allah, giving rise to the compound name ʿAbd al-Karīm, ʿAbdul-Karīm (see Abdelkarim and Abdulkarim). This surname is found among both Muslims and Christians, including Assyrians/Chaldeans. See also Akram, compare Kareem and Karem. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Abdul, Mohammad, Mohammed, Fazal, Syed, Rezaul, Aziz, Aminul, Anwar, Iqbal, Muhammad, Ali.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Karim in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Karim has shown significant growth in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 7,966 in popularity but climbed to a rank of 6,001 by 2010, marking a 24.67% increase in ranking. Similarly, the count of individuals with the surname Karim also increased by 48.69%, rising from 3,853 in 2000 to 5,729 in 2010. The proportion of individuals named Karim per 100,000 people also rose from 1.43 to 1.94, an increase of 35.66%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,966 | #6,001 | 24.67% |
| Count | 3,853 | 5,729 | 48.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.43 | 1.94 | 35.66% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Karim
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Karim also shifted according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The most common ethnicity linked to the surname is Asian/Pacific Islander, making up 43.65% of those with the surname in 2000 and increasing to 52.80% by 2010, indicating a 20.96% change. Those identifying as two or more races decreased significantly, from 13.50% in 2000 to just 5.67% in 2010. The percentage of individuals with this surname who identified as White saw a slight rise from 22.45% to 23.16%. There were small decreases in the percentages of those identifying as Hispanic (from 2.83% to 2.79%) and Black (from 17.00% to 14.99%). The proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable, ticking up slightly from 0.57% to 0.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 43.65% | 52.8% | 20.96% |
| White | 22.45% | 23.16% | 3.16% |
| Black | 17% | 14.99% | -11.82% |
| Two or More Races | 13.5% | 5.67% | -58% |
| Hispanic | 2.83% | 2.79% | -1.41% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.58% | 1.75% |
Karim ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Karim is Northern Indian & Pakistani, which comprises 24.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Bengali & Northeast Indian (23.9%) and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian (9.8%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, Levantine, French & German, Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, and Egyptian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Northern Indian & Pakistani | 24.8% |
| Bengali & Northeast Indian | 23.9% |
| Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian | 9.8% |
| Other | 41.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Karim
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Karim have recent ancestry locations in Pakistan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Punjab, Pakistan | 21.20% |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | 14.60% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 14.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 14.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 14.60% |
What Karim haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Karim is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-Y6 and R-Z93, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mahmood, Ahmad, Khan, Hussain, Mohammed, Iqbal, Malik, Ahmed, Syed, Ali.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Karim surname are: M, H, R. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Karim have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Karim" Surname 42.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Karim" Surname 35.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Karim" Surname 20.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Karim" Surname 10.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Karim?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Karim are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition