2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Alfaraj
An Arabic surname signifying a person's ancestral origin as a relief or opening.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Alfaraj. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Alfaraj 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.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Alfaraj in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Alfaraj, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Alfaraj
The surname ALFARAJ originated in the Arabian Peninsula, and it is believed to have roots dating back to the 7th century AD during the early days of Islam. The name is derived from the Arabic word "farj," which means "relief" or "respite," and it was likely given to someone who provided comfort or assistance to others during difficult times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ALFARAJ surname can be found in the writings of the renowned Muslim historian and scholar, Ibn Khaldun, who lived in the 14th century. In his work, he mentions a prominent family from the city of Medina bearing the ALFARAJ name, suggesting that the surname had already established itself by that time.
During the Golden Age of Islamic civilization, between the 8th and 13th centuries, the ALFARAJ name was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Abu Bakr al-Alfaraj, a renowned Islamic philosopher and theologian who lived in the 10th century. His contributions to the field of Islamic philosophy and theology were highly regarded during his time.
Another prominent figure with the ALFARAJ surname was the 12th-century poet and scholar, Ibn al-Alfaraj al-Andalusi, who hailed from the Iberian Peninsula. His poetry and literary works were celebrated throughout the Islamic world and continue to be studied and appreciated today.
In the realm of Islamic jurisprudence, the name ALFARAJ was associated with the famous jurist and legal scholar, Abu Ishaq al-Alfaraj, who lived in the 11th century. His interpretations and rulings on Islamic law were highly influential and helped shape the legal landscape of the time.
As the Islamic empires expanded and trade routes flourished, the ALFARAJ surname spread across various regions, including the Levant, North Africa, and parts of Europe. In the 13th century, there are records of a prominent ALFARAJ family residing in the city of Granada, which was then part of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada in the Iberian Peninsula.
Throughout history, the ALFARAJ surname has been associated with numerous individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including scholars, poets, jurists, and even military leaders. While the name may have originated in the Arabian Peninsula, its influence and presence have been felt across various regions and cultures, reflecting the rich tapestry of Islamic civilization and its contributions to the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Alfaraj
Among Census respondents with the surname Alfaraj, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Alfaraj 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 Alfaraj surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Alfaraj
Alfaraj appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,821 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,821 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 Alfaraj 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 | #139,228 | #142,049 | -2.0% |
| Count | 120 | 120 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Alfaraj bearers went from 120 to 120 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,821 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #142,049.
FAQ
Alfaraj surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Alfaraj?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Alfaraj. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Alfaraj?
Alfaraj ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Alfaraj. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Alfaraj.
Has Alfaraj become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Alfaraj went from 120 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Alfaraj?
Among Census respondents with the surname Alfaraj, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Alfaraj in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Alfaraj appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Alfaraj (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 Alfaraj mean?
An Arabic surname signifying a person's ancestral origin as a relief or opening. 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 Alfaraj (0.04 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 last name Alfaraj?
See how many Americans have the surname Alfaraj on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.