Hussain
A surname and given name of Arabic origin, ultimately tied to the name Husayn, widely used across Muslim communities.
The #2,146 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,259 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hussain is a variant romanization of Arabic Husayn (حسين), a diminutive form of Hasan, meaning roughly "little Hasan" or "good, handsome one." In surname use, it usually began as a hereditary family name taken from a respected ancestor’s personal name. The spelling Hussain reflects South Asian and other transliteration traditions, especially in Urdu and Persian contexts.
History
The name became widespread through the reverence attached to Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, whose memory is especially important in Shia Islam. As Muslims migrated across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and later to Europe and North America, the surname spread in many spelling forms, including Hussain, Hussein, Husain, and Husein. In many families it functions as both a surname and a given name, making its origin sometimes genealogical rather than strictly inherited in the modern Western sense.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is tied to a famous personal name rather than a place or occupation, Hussain is one of those surnames that can also appear as a first name in the same family tree.