2000
#39,176
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 529
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.20
Rare Last name
Akter
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "perfume maker," "druggist," or "chemist."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,767 Americans carry the last name Akter. That puts it at #5,667 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 50,651 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Akter 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 Akter with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.8K
1 in 50,651
Census rank
#5,667
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,901 bearers of the surname Akter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5667th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Akter, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Akter
The surname Akter has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in areas that are now part of Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname during the medieval period, derived from the Persian word "akhtar" or "akhtar," which means "star" or "celestial body."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Akter can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting that it was already well-established in that era.
In the 17th century, the surname appears in various Persian and Arabic texts, indicating its prevalence among Muslim communities in the region. It is also found in some local administrative records from the Mughal period.
One notable historical figure with the surname Akter was Shah Akter, a renowned Sufi mystic and spiritual leader who lived in the 16th century. He was widely respected for his teachings and writings, which influenced the spiritual landscape of the region.
Another prominent individual was Mir Mosharraf Hossain Akter, a celebrated Bengali writer and poet who lived in the 19th century (1847-1912). His works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, are considered significant contributions to Bengali literature.
In the 20th century, Jasimuddin Akter (1903-1976) gained recognition as a prominent Bengali poet and novelist. His literary works, which often drew inspiration from rural life and folklore, earned him numerous accolades, including the Bangla Academy Award.
Badruddin Akter (1932-2006) was a renowned Bangladeshi sculptor and artist. His sculptures, which often depicted scenes from rural life and traditional culture, can be found in various public spaces and museums throughout Bangladesh.
Moudud Ahmed Akter (1940-2022) was a prominent Bangladeshi diplomat and politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 2001 to 2004 and played a significant role in shaping the country's political landscape.
While the surname Akter has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the cultural and literary traditions of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Akter
Among Census respondents with the surname Akter, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Akter 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 Akter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander97.4% · 5,748
- White0.9% · 55
- Two or more races0.7% · 44
- Black or African American0.4% · 25
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Akter
Akter 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
#13,316
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,291
+1,762 bearers (+333.1%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Up 25,860 places
2020
#5,667
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,901
+3,610 bearers (+157.6%)
Per 100,000 1.97
Rank movement Up 7,649 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #39,176 | 529 | 0.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,316 | 2,291 | 0.78 | +1,762 bearers (+333.1%) | Up 25,860 places |
| 2020 | #5,667 | 5,901 | 1.97 | +3,610 bearers (+157.6%) | Up 7,649 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 Akter 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 | #13,316 | #5,667 | 57.4% |
| Count | 2,291 | 5,901 | 157.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.78 | 1.97 | 153.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Akter bearers went from 2,291 to 5,901 (+157.6% change). The surname moved up 7,649 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,316 to #5,667.
FAQ
Akter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Akter?
Name Census estimates that about 6,767 living Americans carry the surname Akter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 50,651 residents.
How common is Akter?
Akter ranks #5,667 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,901 people with the surname Akter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,767), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Akter.
Has Akter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Akter went from 2,291 recorded bearers to 5,901. That is an increase of 3,610 (+157.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,316 to #5,667.
What does the Census say about the background of Akter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Akter, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Akter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (5,748 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Akter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (97.4%), White (0.9%), Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Akter (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 Akter mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "perfume maker," "druggist," or "chemist." 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 Akter (1.97 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 are called Akter?
See how many people have the last name Akter on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.