Qureshi
Surname list
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qureshi is a surname, is driven from Arabic words (Arabic: قُرَيْشٍ) when writing in English it has various spelling formation such as Quraish[1][AI-retrieved source] Qurayš, Qureshi/Quraishi/Qurashi is often spelled “Qurashi” (القرشي) in Arabic, and it refers to someone descended from the Quraysh tribe (قبيلة قريش), the tribe of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Individuals and families across Saudi Arabia, Asia and throughout the Arab world, still bear the name Qureshi, Qurashi, or Al-Quraishi, often to signal lineage to the Muhammad's tribe which originated from Makkah.
The Qureshi (or Quraysh) family refers to the historical Arab tribe of Quraysh, which was the tribe of Muhammad in Makkah Hejaz, present day Saudi Arabia.The Quraysh played a central role in early Islamic history, particularly in Makkah, where they were the custodians of the Kaaba and leaders in trade and politics.[2][AI-retrieved source] The Qureshi tribe claimed to be descended from Ibrahim and the Ismael[3]
Qureshi is a common surname in South Asia, especially in Pakistan (82%: 1,210,000, out of 1,470,000 worldwide), where it is the ninth most common surname. India has the second most (11%: 162,000). It is also present in parts of Western Asia, in Saudi Arabia (2.5%: 36,300), Iran, and England (0.65%: 9,580).[4][5]
Muhammad bin Qasim's invasion of Sindh in 711 CE marked a pivotal moment in the expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate into the Indian subcontinent[6] One significant migration took place during the early Islamic conquests. In 711 CE, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim led an expedition into Sindh (present-day Pakistan), bringing many Arab settlers, including members of the Qureshi tribe, into the region. These settlers established themselves in Sindh and played a role in the area’s administration and cultural development.[7][AI-retrieved source]
Families using this spelling of the surname Qureshi in the Indian subcontinent claim to be descended from the Quraish tribe of ancient Mecca.[5] However, DNA testing has shown that the largest group identifying with this surname originated in South Asia, failing to substantiate claims of Arab ancestry.[8]
