Qureshi


Qureyshi is a Muslim family name, though in English it has many spelling variations but in Arabic, there is a single spelling as "قريشي", which means part of Qureish Family.
Most bearers of the name, by far, are in Pakistan, where it is the ninth commonest surname. India has the second most, followed by Saudi Arabia and England.

History

According to the Dictionary of American Family Names, the Qureshis are descendants of the Quraysh, the leading tribe in Mecca at the time of the birth of the Islamic prophet Muhammad ; Muhammad's father was a member of it. The Quraish at first opposed Muhammad's teachings and are said to have persecuted him and his followers, but by the time of his death they had begun to convert to the new faith and played an important role in bringing Arabia under the banner of Islam.