Surname Osmani - Meaning and Origin

Osmani: What does the surname Osmani mean?

Osmani is a surname that originates from Arabic and Turkish cultures. In Arabic, it literally translates to "my diamond" or "my precious one". However, the historical and more common interpretation is that the surname "Osmani" means "of Osman" or "related to Osman". This is referencing the Ottoman Empire, which was founded by Osman I. Thus, people who bear this surname are typically thought to have ancestral ties to him or the empire. It is a common surname in various countries, especially among Turks, Albanians, and people of Arabic descent. The surname carries significant historical and cultural connotations, and remains prevalent throughout many parts of the world.

Osmani: Where does the name Osmani come from?

The last name Osmani is most commonly found in the Balkans, and usually denotes someone of Albanian descent. Albania is the homeland of Osmani, where the name has been present for centuries. In the late 15th century, Albania gained warlord Skanderbeg, whose major military successes brought him fame and saw him become a national hero to Albanians and a terror to the Ottoman Empire. As such, many Albanians bearing the name Osmani are descendants of Skanderbeg, whose last name was an homage to his enemies, the Ottoman Empire.

Today, the name Osmani can be found throughout countries of the former Yugoslavia, including Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. The name is also common in Albania, Greece, and Turkey. Outside the Balkans, Osmani is often encountered among the Albanian diaspora, particularly in Australia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The name Osmani is also found occasionally in other countries such as Austria, France, Italy, Norway, and Sweden.

Since the establishment of the Republic of Kosovo in 2008, the surname Osmani has been associated with the newly founded state. The countries first Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi (2008 - 2020) was born into an Osmani family, solidifying the surname in modern history and furthering acceptance of it across the world.

Variations of the surname Osmani

The surname Osmani is a patronymic and generally derived from the root of the Arabic given name Usman or Uthman, meaning “pious” or “devout”. It is mostly found in the Muslim communities of the Middle East and South Asia, but can also be present in other parts of the world.

Variants of Osmani include Osmāni, Usmāni, Othmāni, Uthmāni, Oushmāni, Oshmāni, Ushmāni, Ostmani, Ostomni, and Ustmani. Spellings of the surname can include any combination of the above variants, as well as Asmani, Asmane, Asmany, Esmani, Ismani, Ossmany, Usmany, and Uzmani.

Surnames derived from Osmani include Osmanagic, Osmanov, Osmanovski, Osmanovic, Osmanovitz, Osmans, Osmanzadeh, Usmani, Usmanov, Usmanova, Usmanovski, Usmanovic, Usmanovitz, and Uzmani.

In some cases, variants such as Asmani and Ismani can also be derived from other Arabic given names, such as Asim and Isma'il, which are related to Usman. Therefore, if a person has one of the surnames described above but their given name is not Usman, they may still belong to the Osmani family.

Overall, the various variants, spellings, and surnames of Osmani casting a wide geographic net over a large number of families. Those with any of the surnames listed above, whether they were borne in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world, are likely members of the same extended family.

Famous people with the name Osmani

• Nazmul Huda Osmani: Bangladesh Awami League politician and current Minister of Liberation War Affairs.
• Pir Mehr Ali Shah Osmani: respected Sufi saint from the Chishti lineage in Pakistan.
• Abdullah Osmani: awarded the highest military award in Bangladesh, the Bir Sreshtho.
• Syed Mutawakkil Ali Osmani: former minister of energy in Bangladesh.
• Mohammad Osmani: former Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
• Zainal Abedin Osmani: former military mechanist in Bangladesh.
• Fazlul Huq Osmani: politician in Bangladesh and leader of the Communist Party of Bangladesh.
• Mahbub Osmani: Bangladeshi cricketer and current wicketkeeper of the national team.
• Omar Osmani: political leader and Minister of Education in Somalia.
• Abadir Umar Osman: Somali author, public intellectual and diplomat.
• Salah Osman: former Mayor of Mogadishu, Somalia.
• Suhayl Osmani: former Minister of Labor in Somalia.
• Rashid Osman: prominent Somali military leader.
• Abdirahman Mohamed Osman: prominent Somali diplomat and politician.
• Farah Osman: civil society activist and creator of the “Somali Mapping Network”.
• Improve Omar Osmani: Somali National Army General and Minister of Defense.
• Yussuf Abshir Osman: Somali politician and former Prime Minister of Somalia.
• Bashir Rage Osman: Poet, novelist and contemporary political commentator.
• Naima J. Osman: Somali-Canadian documentary filmmaker and professor at York University.
• Ahmed Ali Osmani: former Deputy Defense Minister in the administration of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

Other surnames

OsmanOsmanajOsmannOsmanogluOsmanovic