Find out how popular the last name Assad is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Assad.

Assad, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Assad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Assad in America

Assad is the 19334th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Assad surname appeared 1,400 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Assad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Assad to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Assad

The surname Assad is of Arabic origin, believed to have emerged in the Levant region during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic word "asad," meaning "lion," which was often used as a symbolic epithet or descriptive byname for individuals perceived as brave, courageous, or formidable.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Assad surname can be traced back to the 12th century, appearing in medieval Arabic manuscripts and chronicles from the region. During this time, the name was commonly associated with prominent families and individuals who held positions of power or influence in the societies of the Levant.

In the 13th century, the Assad name gained further prominence with the rise of the Ayyubid dynasty, a Sunni Muslim Kurdishfamily that ruled over parts of modern-day Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. One notable figure from this period was Al-Malik Al-Ashraf Musa Assad, a Sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty who ruled over parts of Syria from 1237 to 1237 CE.

The Assad surname continued to be prevalent in the Levant region throughout the subsequent centuries, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in areas such as Damascus, Aleppo, and other Syrian cities. One notable example from the 17th century is Ahmad Assad, a scholar and poet from Damascus who was renowned for his contributions to Arabic literature.

During the Ottoman era, the Assad name was also found among influential families in the region, with some members holding administrative positions or serving in the military ranks of the Ottoman Empire. One such figure was Mustafa Assad, a prominent military commander who served in the Ottoman army during the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Assad surname gained further recognition with the birth of Khaled Assad (1934-2015), a renowned Syrian archaeologist and scholar who dedicated his life to preserving and studying the ancient ruins of Palmyra. His work in documenting and protecting the cultural heritage of Syria earned him international acclaim and recognition.

Throughout its history, the Assad surname has been associated with various place names and locations within the Levant region, such as the town of Assad in northern Syria, as well as the Assad Valley and Assad Lake, both located in the coastal region of Syria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Assad

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Assad.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Assad was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Assad has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Assad was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Assad, please contact us.

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