2000
#33,333
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 646
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.24
Rare Last name
Abid
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "worshipper" or "devotee," often referring to a servant or slave.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,896 Americans carry the last name Abid. That puts it at #16,806 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 180,778 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Abid surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Abid with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.9K
1 in 180,778
Census rank
#16,806
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,653 bearers of the surname Abid in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 16806th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Abid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 63.8%. The next largest groups are White (28.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Abid
The surname ABID is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabic-speaking regions. It is derived from the Arabic word "Abid," which means "worshipper" or "servant of God." The name's roots can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the early days of Islam.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name ABID can be found in medieval Arabic manuscripts and historical records. It was often given as a surname to individuals who were known for their piety and devotion to their faith. In some cases, the name may have been bestowed upon those who worked in religious institutions or held positions of spiritual significance.
During the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century, the name ABID gained prominence across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. It was particularly common in areas that were centers of Islamic learning and culture, such as Baghdad, Damascus, and Cairo.
In the 11th century, a renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher named Al-Abid al-Andalusi was born in Seville, Spain. His full name was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Abid al-Andalusi, and he was known for his contributions to the fields of astronomy and mathematics.
Another notable figure with the surname ABID was Abid ibn al-Abras, a 7th-century Arab poet and warrior who lived during the early years of the Islamic conquests. He is remembered for his eloquent poetry and his bravery in battle.
In the 13th century, a Persian mathematician and astronomer named Ghiyath al-Din al-Abid al-Kashani made significant contributions to the study of spherical trigonometry and the development of astronomical instruments. His works were widely influential in the Islamic world and beyond.
The name ABID has also been found in historical records from other regions, such as the Indian subcontinent and parts of Central Asia, where it was likely introduced through trade and cultural exchange with the Middle East.
Throughout history, the surname ABID has been associated with individuals who have made notable contributions to various fields, including religion, literature, science, and the arts. While its origins can be traced back to the early days of Islam, the name has transcended geographic and cultural boundaries, reflecting the rich diversity of the regions where it has been present.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Abid
Among Census respondents with the surname Abid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 63.8%. The next largest groups are White (28.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Abid bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Abid surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander63.8% · 1,054
- White28.7% · 474
- Two or more races3.6% · 60
- Black or African American1.9% · 31
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Abid
Abid appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#24,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,048
+402 bearers (+62.2%)
Per 100,000 0.36
Rank movement Up 9,284 places
2020
#16,806
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,653
+605 bearers (+57.7%)
Per 100,000 0.55
Rank movement Up 7,243 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #33,333 | 646 | 0.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,049 | 1,048 | 0.36 | +402 bearers (+62.2%) | Up 9,284 places |
| 2020 | #16,806 | 1,653 | 0.55 | +605 bearers (+57.7%) | Up 7,243 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Abid surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,049 | #16,806 | 30.1% |
| Count | 1,048 | 1,653 | 57.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.36 | 0.55 | 53.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Abid bearers went from 1,048 to 1,653 (+57.7% change). The surname moved up 7,243 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,049 to #16,806.
FAQ
Abid surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Abid?
Name Census estimates that about 1,896 living Americans carry the surname Abid. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 180,778 residents.
How common is Abid?
Abid ranks #16,806 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,653 people with the surname Abid. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,896), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Abid.
Has Abid become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Abid went from 1,048 recorded bearers to 1,653. That is an increase of 605 (+57.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #24,049 to #16,806.
What does the Census say about the background of Abid?
Among Census respondents with the surname Abid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 63.8%. The next largest groups are White (28.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Abid in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.8% (1,054 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Abid appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (63.8%), White (28.7%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Abid (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Abid mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "worshipper" or "devotee," often referring to a servant or slave. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Abid (0.55 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Abid?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.