meaning of last name Hanif
Hi, I'm trying to find out the meaning of Hanif. It was my grandfather's last name. It has a Muslim/Arabic origin. Thank you.
vote up1vote down

Replies

It is a male given name. Salahuddin Ahmed "A Dictionary of Muslim Names", translates it as "true, one of the true faith, upright". It may have been the given name of an ancestor of your grandfather, but it may have been his father's name. Most Arabs didn't have proper surnames until well into the 20th century; some still get by just adding their father's name to their own.
vote up1vote down
Thank you !
vote up1vote down