Ateek

Ateek is a surname of Arabic origin. It is a transliteration of the Arabic word عتيق, which is commonly represented in English as Ateeq, Atiq, Atik, or Atiq. The root word carries the sense of "ancient" or "old" and has historically been used as a given name as well as a surname.

Geographic distribution. The name is found among Arab communities in the Levant—Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria—and among their descendants abroad in North America and Europe.

Notable people. One widely recognized individual with this surname is Naim Ateek, a Palestinian Anglican priest and theologian who founded the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem.

See also. Related names include Atiq and Atik, which are other transliterations of the same Arabic root.