Surname Al Khobar - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'A'
Al Khobar: What does the surname Al Khobar mean?
The surname Al Khobar is derived from the city of Khobar, which is located in Saudi Arabia and is home to a large population of people with the surname. The name literally translates to "stairs" in Arabic, with the root of the word (khobar) referring to a staircase.
The geographical origin of the name holds special importance in Islamic culture. In Islam, the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) is the fifth pillar of the faith. All Muslims are required to make the journey at least once in their lifetime if they have the means and the health to do so. Khobar is located on the path to Mecca and is a place where pilgrims would rest before taking the next step of their journey. Therefore, many people adopted the name ”Al Khobar” to commemorate their physical location at the time of their pilgrimage, as well as the cultural and spiritual experience of taking the journey.
As the population of pilgrims continued to grow, so did the number of people with the surname Al Khobar. It became a popular choice as an additional name for those of Arabic descent, as it helped connect them to their roots. Today, it is not only used as a surname but can be found as an important part of a person’s full name.
This name is held with great pride in the Islamic faith, as it is a reminder of a person’s journey to perform the Hajj. It represents the communal importance of the faith and serves as a reminder of the spiritual significance of making that pilgrimage.
Order DNA origin analysisAl Khobar: Where does the name Al Khobar come from?
Al Khobar is a city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and is located towards the northeast of the Persian Gulf. The last name Al Khobar is of Arabic origin and is most commonly found in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Given the travel restrictions between countries in the Middle East, as well as the relatively small amount of people who reside outside of the region, it is not too common to find the surname Al Khobar outside of the Arabian Peninsula. However, due to the growth of immigration and the continuing dispersal of individuals from the Middle East into various parts of the world (mainly due to economic, political, and humanitarian aspects), which began in the 20th century, it is slowly becoming more and more common to see the surname Al Khobar spread throughout other countries.
Within the Arabian Peninsula, the name is most common in Saudi Arabia, which is where the city of Al Khobar is located. This is mainly due to the fact that many of the descendents of Abu Bakr bin Sayf Al Khobar (for whom the city is named after) were distributed throughout the region and much of their descendents still reside in Saudi Arabia to this day.
Variations of the surname Al Khobar
The variants, spellings and surnames of Al Khobar are Al Khabar, Al Khobar, Al Khuwair, Al-Khabar, Al-Khuwair, Khabar, Khobar and Khuwair.
The origins of Al Khobar can be traced back to the Arabian peninsula and it is believed to have originated from the ancient tribe of Banu Tamim who are descendants of Qahtan, who were the first Arabs of South Arabia. The meaning of Al Khobar is thought to be "splendor, glory or magnificence".
Throughout history, this surname has also taken on various spellings, such as Khabar, Khuwair and Khobar. Khabar can be found in parts of Saudi Arabia where it is one of the most common family names. Khobars are generally found in the eastern provinces of the Kingdom including the cities of Al Khobars, Dammam, Dhahran, Qatif, Jubail and Ras Tanura.
Al Khuwair is another variation of the surname and is found mostly in the Bedouin and Bedu communities of Saudi Arabia. This name is mostly used in traditional Arab contexts and may take on different spellings in different countries, such as Al Khuwwar.
The significance of Al Khobar and its many variations have played an important role in Arab and Persian culture, and have acted as an important identifier for people of this culture. In modern times, the surname is still very popular and can be found around the world in countries such as United States, Canada, England, France and Germany.
Famous people with the name Al Khobar
- Sheikh Khaled bin Bandar Al Khobar: Chief of the Al Khobar royal family and former Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
- Fahad Al Khobar: Former CEO and backbone of Kingdom Holding, a public company established and owned by Al Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud.
- Abdullah bin Sultan Al Khobar: Minister of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia (Cabinet).
- Sultan bin Muhammad Al Khobar: Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States.
- Essam bin Saud Al Khobar: Governor of the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.
- Hammoud bin Abdulaziz Al Khobar: Minister of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia (Cabinet).
- Hani bin Hamad Al Khobar: Minister of Economy and Planning, Saudi Arabia.
- Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Khobar: Minister of Justice, Saudi Arabia.
- Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Khobar: Minister of Health, Saudi Arabia.
- Nayef bin Fahd Al Khobar: Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Saudi Arabia.