Surname Najjar - Meaning and Origin
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Najjar: What does the surname Najjar mean?
The last name Najjar is an Arab surname that is believed to originate from the tribe of Najjar in the ancient Arab region. It is believed that those who bore this name either descended from or were related to this tribe. The Najjar tribe is believed to have lived in Mecca at some point in history.
The literal translation of the word Najjar is “carpenter” or “woodworker”. This may explain why many families who bore this name often had occupations related to woodworking over the centuries. It is also believed that people bearing this last name would live around or in places where there were forests and woods, suggesting that this may have been an occupational-based surname.
The Najjar family name also has a deeper symbolism with it. Tradition states that when a family has been given the name Najjar, it is meant to signify that it is blessed and that God has bestowed favorable fortune upon those who bear it. It is seen as a sign of resilience, strength and courage, and is thought to have been passed down through generations of the Najjar tribe.
Even today, the last name Najjar is still held in high regard within the Arab world, with families who bear the name taking pride in their heritage and ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisNajjar: Where does the name Najjar come from?
The last name Najjar is a common surname in the Middle East, particularly among Arab speaking populations. It is primarily found in the countries of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Iraq, and Egypt. Within these countries, it can be found relatively evenly distributed among different religious, ethnic, and economic backgrounds.
In Jordan and Syria, Najjar is the 15th and 23rd most common surname, respectively. This reflects the fact that both countries have significant population of Arab speakers. In Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel, the name Najjar is quite popular among Muslim, Jewish, and Christian populations, respectively.
In recent years, the name has also become quite common among diaspora Arab populations in Europe, the United States, and Canada, due to various waves of immigration over the last few decades, in particular during the Syrian Civil War that started in 2011. In the United States, people with this name are most commonly found in California, Texas, New York, Michigan, and Illinois.
The Najjar family is generally quite old, with its roots tracing back for centuries. It has also been associated with prominent Arab figures throughout history, including the Islamic scholar Najmuddin al-Najjar and former Jordanian Prime Minister Wasfi al-Najjar.
Variations of the surname Najjar
Najjar is a surname of Arabic origin that can be found all over the world. The original spelling is نجار, and is typically spelled either Najjar, Najar, Najjari, Naggar, Najiyar, and Natjar.
Variants of Najjar include Najjari, Najar, Naǧar or Vergès, emerging through the diaspora. In some cases, the name was written according to American customs and heritage of that region, such as Nager, Nexar, or Nagar. Other variants of the name are Nagel, Nigman, Nigzer, Nijemark, and Nimpiski.
The Middle Eastern spellings for the surname may include Natjah, Najar, Najari, Naǧari, Naǧer, Naǧerai, or Natjar.
In addition to the spelling variations, multiple surnames have shared origin. As such, Najjar and related surnames can also be found under the transliterations of Keilany, Kilany, or Kilián.
The surname can be localized to any given region, such as areas in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. The surname can often be synonymous with the name of a profession or trade, such as Najm (astronomer), Nejem (veterinarian), Naiem (hardsmith) or Nimer (trade).
Famous people with the name Najjar
- Nariman Najjar: Nariman is a Palestinian journalist, filmmaker, and human rights activist. She is the founder of the human rights film company, Sundance, and the founder, and executive director of the documentary CPJ Creative, which focuses on filmmakers and documentary makers in the Middle East.
- Saeed Najjar: Saeed is an international recording voice from Tehran, Iran. He is best known for his recordings of devotional songs for the Sufi tradition.
- Ali Najjar: Ali is a former Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1981 to 1988. During his period in office he introduced many policies that aimed to reduce poverty and diversify the economy.
- Ahmad Najjar: Ahmad is a Palestinian architect whose main works include design of the center of Jerusalem and the Rujm Al-Hiraj Tower in Ramallah. In 2005, he won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for his work on the mosque in Hebron.
- Hassan Najjar: Hassan is a Syrian actor and producer. He is best known for his lead role in the TV series, The Last Station. Besides his work in television, Hassan has worked on several films, including The American, Damascus Time, and My Summer in London.
- Majd Najjar: Majd is an Israeli Arab singer-songwriter. She is best known for her self-described "unplugged Arabic-pop" style of music and has released two studio albums, Flying (2006) and Saffri (2008).
- Leila Najjar: Leila is a Palestinian-American singer-songwriter from Chicago. She is best known for her Arab-American experience on her EP, Arab Girl in America, and her numerous compositions on various themes such as immigrants’ rights and refugees.
- Layla Najjar: Layla is a Palestinian-American poet and artist. She is the founder and editor of the literary blog, ArabLit, and her poetry has been featured in publications globally.