Surname Quraishi - Meaning and Origin

Quraishi: What does the surname Quraishi mean?

Quraishi is a surname often found in the Muslim community. It derives from the Arabic term "Quraish," which was the name of a powerful and reputed merchant tribe in Mecca during the time of Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad himself was born into the Banu Hashim clan, part of the larger Quraish tribe. The term "Quraishi" essentially signifies lineage or connection to this historically significant tribe. It's believed the tribe's name, 'Quraish,' originates from the Arabic word "qirsh," which means "shark," symbolizing power and leadership in Arab tribal symbolism. Therefore, people with the Quraishi surname are often considered to be of descent from a respected and prestigious lineage.

Quraishi: Where does the name Quraishi come from?

The last name Quraishi is most commonly found in South Asia, specifically the countries of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The word Quraishi itself comes from the root word Quraysh, which was the name of a powerful ancient tribal group in the Arabian Peninsula. The Quraishi families that still exist today in the region are likely descendants of this group that may have migrated eastward many centuries ago or even further back in time.

In Bangladesh, the last name is found mainly in the Barisal and Mymensingh districts, where the majority of the population is made up of Muslims. The Quraishis are also quite prominent in the eastern border areas, especially in the Sylhet division.

In India, Quraishi families have settled mainly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Assam, and West Bengal. In Pakistan, most of the Quraishis are concentrated in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

The Quraishi last name is quite common in these states and countries and is often associated with prominent members of the Muslim community who have distinguished themselves in various fields such as politics, education, and religion. So in spite of centuries of separation, the Quraishi name is still alive and strong throughout South Asia.

Variations of the surname Quraishi

Quraishi is a surname of Arabic origin that commonly denotes a person belonging to the Quraish tribe, historically found primarily in the Arabian Peninsula. The Quraish tribe was the most prominent and influential tribe at the time of the Prophet Muhammad and still today is still found primarily in the Middle East. As such, Quraishi is a frequently found Arabic surname.

Variants and alternate spellings of the surname Quraishi include Qurayshi, Qureshi, Qureshy, Qureishi, Kurashi, Kuraishi, Kureishi, Kureshi, Kureshy and Qureyshi.

Of these variants, two of the most common and widely-recognized are Qureshi and Qureshy. Qureshi is spelled slightly differently than Quraishi, primarily because of the common practice of replacing a ‘Qa’ with ‘Qu’ in dialects of Arabic spoken in South Asia and East Africa; this spelling is particularly common in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Qureshy is sometimes an alteration of Qureshi, used by the descendants of Quraishi migrants to western countries such as Britain and the United States.

The surnames of Quraishi have also often been adopted as given names, and even the names of companies. In many Middle Eastern countries, people use the name Quraish to honor their common ancestor Prophet Muhammad and his tribe. The Arabic feminine form of Quraishi is actually Qurayshiyah.

Overall, the surname Quraishi is one of the most prominent Arabic surnames, and is still quite common in many parts of the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa. As such, there are numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin that are used in different parts of the world today.

Famous people with the name Quraishi

• Zain Quraishi: British musician and songwriter.
• Aftab Quraishi: Indian cricketer.
• Amtul Quraishi: Pakistani politician.
• Saba Quraishi: American singer, songwriter, composer, and producer.
• Osama Quraishi: American filmmaker.
• Azhar Quraishi: British chess grandmaster.
• Shiraz Quraishi: Pakistani poet and musician.
• Aliya Quraishi: Pakistani actress and TV presenter.
• Zeba Quraishi: Pakistani actress and voice-over artist.
• Suhail Quraishi: Pakistani cricketer.
• Anam Quraishi: Pakistani athlete and wheelchair tennis player.
• Sakina Quraishi: Indian actor and voice-over artist.
• Fareed Quraishi: Indian politician.
• Saira Quraishi: Pakistani medical doctor.
• Abida Quraishi: Bangladeshi singer-songwriter.
• Itziar Quraishi: Spanish theater director and writer.
• Umer Quraishi: Pakistani cricketer.
• Akhtar Quraishi: Pakistani medical doctor and women's rights activist.
• Ali Quraishi: Indian television writer and director.
• Fawad Quraishi: Pakistani cricketer and coach.

Other surnames

Quraish