Sheikh
A title for an Arab or Muslim leader, later adopted as a surname in South Asian and Middle Eastern communities.
The #5,384 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,779 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sheikh comes from Arabic shaykh, meaning an elder, chief, or respected leader. In everyday use it was a title rather than a family name, applied to tribal heads, scholars, and other men of status. As a surname, it usually reflects descent from, association with, or adoption of that honorific title.
History
The word has long been used across the Arabic-speaking world and wider Islamic societies as a title of respect or authority. In South Asia, especially among Muslim communities, it also became established as a hereditary surname or caste/community name. Modern surname use is therefore more social and cultural than originally occupational in the narrow English sense.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Arabic word has entered English in more than one form, including the familiar title "sheikh" and the streamlined spelling "sheik."
From the historical record
“desert, he made his way, in a few days, to Teawa, where he arrived, March 21, 1772. Carrying powerful recommendations to the sheikh of this ]>lacc, Bruce expected to be hos])itably entertain- ed, and to obtain fresh camels, water, and guides ; but he was miserably disappointed. The sheikh Fidele was one of the most…”
— The Scottish Nation; or, the surnames, families ... of the people of Scotland, vol. 1