2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Aslani
A surname derived from the Persian word 'aslan' meaning lion, potentially indicating courage or strength.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 187 Americans carry the last name Aslani. That puts it at #114,090 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,832,911 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aslani 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
187
1 in 1,832,911
Census rank
#114,090
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
163
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 163 bearers of the surname Aslani in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 114090th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aslani, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aslani
The surname Aslani originates from the Persian language and has its roots in Iran. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 10th to 13th centuries. It is derived from the Persian word "aslan," which means "lion," and is likely associated with individuals who possessed lion-like qualities or might have been known for their bravery and strength.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Aslani surname can be found in the Persian literary classic "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. The name appears in reference to a warrior who fought valiantly in battles described in the epic poem.
During the Safavid Dynasty in Persia (1501-1736), the Aslani name gained prominence as several individuals bearing this surname held important positions within the royal court and military. One notable figure was Amir Khan Aslani, a celebrated military commander who served under Shah Abbas I in the early 17th century.
As the Persian Empire expanded and trade routes flourished, some members of the Aslani family migrated to other regions, carrying their surname with them. In the 16th century, records show the presence of the Aslani name in the Ottoman Empire, particularly in the areas that are now part of modern-day Turkey and the Balkans.
In the 18th century, a branch of the Aslani family settled in the Indian subcontinent, where they contributed to the rich cultural tapestry of the region. One prominent figure was Mirza Asadullah Khan Aslani, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the court of the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in the late 18th century.
Over the centuries, the Aslani surname has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields. For example, Amir Hossein Aslani was a celebrated Iranian painter and calligrapher who lived in the 19th century, renowned for his intricate and beautiful works of art. Another notable figure was Abdollah Aslani, an Iranian writer and educator who made significant contributions to the literary and educational landscape of Iran in the early 20th century.
While the surname Aslani has its origins in Iran, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchanges. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, each with their own unique stories and connections to the rich heritage of this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aslani
Among Census respondents with the surname Aslani, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Aslani 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 Aslani surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.8% · 135
- Two or more races9.2% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aslani
Aslani 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
#113,155
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 155
+43 bearers (+38.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 24,661 places
2020
#114,090
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
+8 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 935 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #113,155 | 155 | 0.05 | +43 bearers (+38.4%) | Up 24,661 places |
| 2020 | #114,090 | 163 | 0.05 | +8 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 935 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 Aslani 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 | #113,155 | #114,090 | -0.8% |
| Count | 155 | 163 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aslani bearers went from 155 to 163 (+5.2% change). The surname moved down 935 positions in the national ranking, going from #113,155 to #114,090.
FAQ
Aslani surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aslani?
Name Census estimates that about 187 living Americans carry the surname Aslani. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,832,911 residents.
How common is Aslani?
Aslani ranks #114,090 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 163 people with the surname Aslani. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (187), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Aslani.
Has Aslani become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aslani went from 155 recorded bearers to 163. That is an increase of 8 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #113,155 to #114,090.
What does the Census say about the background of Aslani?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aslani, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Aslani in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.8% (135 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aslani appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.8%), Two or More Races (9.2%), Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Aslani (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 Aslani mean?
A surname derived from the Persian word 'aslan' meaning lion, potentially indicating courage or strength. 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 Aslani (0.05 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 Aslani?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.