Amin
A surname with several possible origins, most commonly linked to Arabic and South Asian naming traditions, and also found as a separate surname in Europe.
The #3,243 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 27,723 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Amin is best known as an Arabic name and surname from amīn, meaning “trustworthy,” “faithful,” or “reliable.” In Muslim naming traditions it can appear as a personal name that later became hereditary as a surname. In South Asia it is also used as a family name, often reflecting this same Arabic-rooted honorific or given-name origin. Separate European occurrences may exist, but the historical excerpts provided do not establish a single clear origin for every bearer of the surname.
History
The surname is widespread in Muslim communities across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, and it also appears in diaspora populations in Europe and North America. Because the same spelling can arise independently in different linguistic settings, family histories for people named Amin may not share one common source. The 2010 U.S. Census count suggests it is present but not among the most common surnames in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The Arabic root behind Amin is the same one that gave English the word “amen” through a related religious tradition of affirmation.
From the historical record
“pt. ti. p. no. 1628. Married — Anthony AMin and Mary Holliman : St. Michael, Comhill, p. 25. London, 6, i, 22, i, 1,1,1.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)Notable people named Amin
- Idi Amin (1925–2003)
- Hafizullah Amin (1929–1979)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.