Surname Afsar - Meaning and Origin
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Afsar: What does the surname Afsar mean?
The last name Afsar is found primarily in countries of the Indian subcontinent, such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The name is derived from the Arabic phrase ‘afsar’, which means commander or leader. This term was historically used in the Indian subcontinent to refer to a person of high military rank in a sultanate or noble family.
In India, the surname is considered to be of Muslim origin and is associated with the ruling class of rulers of the medieval period. It is believed that the Afsar family played a key role in the Mughal Empire, as some of its members were elevated to positions of power in the royal court. Some of the most influential people with this name were the Afsar-e-Azam, or imperial courtiers, who acted as advisors to the Emperor.
Many people of Afsar surname today are involved in the business sector. The term has come to be associated with a successful businessperson, or a person who has a great amount of wealth and power. Some claim that an Afsar family member is “born with silver spoon in his mouth” due to their long standing in the higher classes of society.
As such, the name Afsar holds a strong sense of prestige and reputation today. It is a reminder of those who have achieved great success both in history and in our current day lives.
Order DNA origin analysisAfsar: Where does the name Afsar come from?
The last name Afsar is an ancient and noble Muslim title that originated in Iran, but is now found in many countries throughout the Middle East and South Asia. An Afsar is a leader of a community, and the name was given to eminent rulers, military leaders, spiritual leaders and courtiers throughout the Islamic world.
Today, the last name Afsar is common in countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Turkey, as well as in parts of the Arabian Peninsula. In Pakistan, it is among the top 10 most common surnames, being held by over 800,000 people.
The Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates also have populations with a significant presence of Afsar, although their exact numbers are unknown. In the United States, the surname is comparatively rare, with fewer than 2,000 people carrying the name in 2020.
However, due to immigration and cultural exchange, it is likely that the name will become more prevalent in the coming years, especially in places like the United States with a significant Western Asian population.
Variations of the surname Afsar
The surname Afsar has many variants as it originates from a wide geographical area. In its native India and Pakistan, variants of Afsar include the spelling Awasthi and Afsar, as well as Awasar, Afser, Awasir, Awesar, Ufsar, Ifsar, Iwssar and Efsar. In North Africa it may be spelled Awassar or Bouksara. In Eastern Europe, the spelling often changes to Africa, Afzaria or Awzaria, while the Russian form of the surname is Afzalov. Other variants, mostly phonetic in nature, such as Ufzal, Ufzali and Ufzalov may also be encountered.
Despite its origin, the surname is also widely adopted in Europe and the Americas, particularly amongst the western diaspora; in parts of Europe, it may be written Ufzar or Afsar. In Turkey, Afsar is written as Afşar and in some cases, Afshar. In Central Europe, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland, the name is spelt Ufzare and in Greece and the wider Balkans, it may be written Aftzaras or Aftzaris. Both American and Canadian immigrants of the surname generally spell it Afsar, although alternative spellings Awfser, Awsoor and Upsar are also used.
In terms of associated surnames, both Afsaru and Afsarzai are technically of the same origin. Generally, it is known that the ‘zai’ ending has roots in long-lost tribal origin; while Afsaru may have arisen from the same root, no direct connection has been established as of yet.
Famous people with the name Afsar
- Zareen Afsar: Indian Youtuber and stand-up comedian
- Shahzaib Afsar: Pakistan cricket captain
- Nafisa Ali: Indian actress, socialite and a former Member of Parliament
- Hayaam Afsar: Pakistani cricketer and model
- Aamer Afsar Khan: Pakistani journalist and television host
- Ayesha Afsar: Indian singer and music director
- Abdul Wahid Afsar: Pakistani nuclear scientist
- Sadaf Afsar: Pakistani singer and songwriter
- Zakir Afsar: Indian actor
- Abid Afsar: Pakistani politician
- Muzaffar Afsar: Indian film actor
- Nasim Afsar: Pakistani film director, producer and screenwriter
- Zubair Afsar: Pakistani cricketer
- Ayesha Afsar Uddin: Bangladesh public administrator
- Faiza Afsar Khan: Pakistani fashion designer
- Saira Afsar Buzdar: Pakistani travel blogger and social activist
- Abul Kalam Afsar- Bangladeshi freedom fighter, journalist and politician
- Hafeez Afsar Ali- Pakistani politician
- Gillani Afsar: Pakistani musician
- Balraj Afsar: Indian music director