All surnames

Arabic surname

Khan

Ruler/leader

Clan or community name

A title of rulership from Central Asian Turkic and Mongolic languages, spread through Persian and Urdu into a very common surname among South Asian Muslims.

More Arabic surnames

AhmedHassanHussainRahman

Give the Khan name a real family story

Build a family tree with everyone's actual names, photos and relationships. Free to start, no sign-up required.

Build your family tree

Free forever · No email required to start

Frequently asked questions

What does the surname Khan mean?

Ruler/leader. A title of rulership from Central Asian Turkic and Mongolic languages, spread through Persian and Urdu into a very common surname among South Asian Muslims.

Is Khan a common surname?

Khan is a Arabic-origin surname. Popularity varies widely by country and region, and the same surname can be common in one place and rare in another.

Can two families with the same surname be unrelated?

Yes. Surnames, especially occupational and descriptive ones like this, were often adopted independently by many unrelated families who happened to share a trade, appearance, or location.

Is my search logged?

No account or personal details are required to look up a surname's meaning - this page is static reference content.