2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Arbid
An occupational surname potentially referring to a worker with ropes or cordage.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Arbid. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Arbid 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Arbid in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Arbid, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.6%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Arbid
The surname ARBID is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of modern-day Lebanon. It traces its roots back to the Arabic word 'arbid', which means 'locust' or 'grasshopper'. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname for someone with a physical resemblance or characteristic associated with these insects.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ARBID can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts dating back to the 10th century. These documents mention individuals bearing this name in the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, which were significant centers of trade and commerce during that era.
During the Crusades, the name ARBID gained wider recognition as it appeared in various chronicles and military records. In the 12th century, a notable figure named Rashid al-Arbid was a prominent merchant and diplomat who facilitated trade agreements between the Crusaders and the Muslims.
As the surname spread across the region, it underwent several spelling variations, including Arbeed, Arbeed, and Arbed. These variations reflect the linguistic influences of different dialects and regions where the name was adopted.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname ARBID. In the 14th century, Ibrahim al-Arbid was a renowned scholar and poet from Damascus, known for his contributions to Arabic literature. In the 16th century, Fatima al-Arbid was a celebrated calligrapher and artist whose works adorned the walls of mosques and palaces across the Ottoman Empire.
Moving forward, the 18th century saw the birth of Khalil al-Arbid (1732-1801), a prominent philosopher and theologian from Beirut. His writings on Islamic jurisprudence and ethics were widely studied and celebrated.
In the 19th century, the name ARBID gained recognition in the field of medicine with the achievements of Dr. Amin al-Arbid (1845-1914), a pioneering physician who introduced modern medical practices to the region and established several hospitals in Lebanon.
Another notable figure was Nadia Arbid (1901-1988), a renowned Lebanese feminist and activist who fought for women's rights and advocated for education and social reform in the early 20th century.
While the surname ARBID has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural tapestry of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Arbid
Among Census respondents with the surname Arbid, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.6%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Arbid 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 Arbid surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.3% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino9.6% · 11
- Two or more races4.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Arbid
Arbid 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
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+6 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,037 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.6%) | Up 5,037 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 Arbid 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 | #151,532 | #146,495 | 3.3% |
| Count | 108 | 114 | 5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Arbid bearers went from 108 to 114 (+5.6% change). The surname moved up 5,037 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #146,495.
FAQ
Arbid surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Arbid?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Arbid. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Arbid?
Arbid ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Arbid. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Arbid.
Has Arbid become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Arbid went from 108 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 6 (+5.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Arbid?
Among Census respondents with the surname Arbid, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.6%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Arbid in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.3% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Arbid appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.3%), Hispanic (9.6%), Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Arbid (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 Arbid mean?
An occupational surname potentially referring to a worker with ropes or cordage. 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 Arbid (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 Americans have the surname Arbid?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.