Sahlawi

Sahlawi is a surname of Arabic origin. In Arabic script it is written السهلاوي and is commonly rendered as Sahlawi or Al-Sahlawi. It is a nisba, a suffix used to denote affiliation with a place, tribe, or family. The exact etymology can vary; typically it indicates origin from a locality or lineage associated with the root Sahl or with a place named Sahl.

The name is most prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula, especially Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Yemen, and in diaspora communities abroad. As a result, bearers of the surname appear in various professional fields including business, academia, medicine, engineering, sports, and public service.

Because it is a relatively common nisba, there are multiple unrelated families that adopted the name independently. In scholarly or biographical contexts, the prefix Al- may be used in formal renditions, especially in Arabic-language sources.

Common variants include Al-Sahlawi, Al-Sahlawy, or Sahlawi without the prefix, depending on transliteration and country.