Explore the Family Name Khalifa
The meaning of Khalifa
Muslim and Jewish (from North Africa): from the Arabic personal name based on khalīfa, a word meaning literally ‘successor’, most likely referring to birth-order. The word itself is used as a honorific title (known in English as caliph), given to the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, as successor of the prophet Muhammad. History: The title khalīfa was first adopted after the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 by his successor Abu-Bakr. The caliphs ruled in Bahgdad until 1258, then in Egypt until the Ottoman conquest (1517). The title was then held by the Ottoman sultans in Istanbul until it was abolished by Atatürk in 1924. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Ahmed, Mohamed, Ibrahim, Ismail, Ammar, Gulam, Hesham, Mahmoud, Mohammed, Nagib, Omar, Abdullah.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Khalifa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Khalifa has seen a significant increase in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname moved up from 36,672 in 2000 to 24,890 in 2010, reflecting a change of 32.13%. Similarly, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 73.74%, from 575 in 2000 to 999 in 2010. This trend is also reflected in the proportion per 100,000 people, with an increase of 61.9%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,672 | #24,890 | 32.13% |
| Count | 575 | 999 | 73.74% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.34 | 61.9% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Khalifa
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some notable shifts for those with the surname Khalifa. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 25.14% from 21.04% in 2000 to 26.33% in 2010. The number of individuals identifying with two or more races decreased significantly by 83.66% over the same period. Those identifying as White saw a small increase of 5.17%, making it the largest group at 53.95% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Black also saw a substantial increase from 10.26% in 2000 to 14.41% in 2010. Meanwhile, the proportions of Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained unchanged.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 51.3% | 53.95% | 5.17% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 21.04% | 26.33% | 25.14% |
| Black | 10.26% | 14.41% | 40.45% |
| Two or More Races | 16.52% | 2.7% | -83.66% |
| Hispanic | 0.87% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |