2000
#26,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 864
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Rare Last name
Azad
A surname indicating freedom or liberation, likely derived from the Persian word "azad" meaning free.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,221 Americans carry the last name Azad. That puts it at #14,717 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 154,324 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Azad 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 Azad with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 154,324
Census rank
#14,717
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,937 bearers of the surname Azad in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14717th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Azad, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.4%. The next largest groups are White (21.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Azad
The surname Azad is of Persian origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Persian word 'azad', meaning 'free' or 'liberated'. The name was likely given to individuals who had gained their freedom from slavery or oppression.
During the reign of the Mughal Empire in India, which lasted from the 16th to the 19th century, the name Azad gained prominence. It was often bestowed upon those who had been released from captivity or had achieved a sense of liberation, either physically or spiritually.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Azad can be found in the Persian manuscript 'Tazkirat-ul-Umara', written by Shah Nawaz Khan in the 17th century. This work documented the lives of notable individuals during the Mughal era, including several individuals bearing the surname Azad.
In the 18th century, the name Azad appeared in the records of the East India Company, which governed parts of India at that time. These records mention individuals with the surname Azad who held various positions within the company's administration.
A notable figure bearing the surname Azad was Ghulam Ghaus Azad (1804-1876), a renowned Urdu poet and scholar from Delhi. His literary works, including the famous 'Nayrang-e-Khayal', have left a lasting impact on Urdu literature.
Another prominent individual with the surname Azad was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), an Indian scholar, poet, and one of the leading figures in the Indian independence movement. He served as the first Minister of Education in the Indian government after independence and played a crucial role in promoting education and secularism in the country.
The name Azad has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For example, Azadpur, a locality in Delhi, is believed to have derived its name from individuals bearing the surname Azad who settled in the area.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Azad has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from poets and scholars to freedom fighters and administrators. Its enduring presence serves as a reminder of the pursuit of liberty and the resilience of those who have fought for their freedom.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Azad
Among Census respondents with the surname Azad, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.4%. The next largest groups are White (21.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Azad 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 Azad surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.4% · 1,364
- White21.0% · 407
- Two or more races5.0% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 44
- Black or African American0.9% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Azad
Azad 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
#19,567
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,379
+515 bearers (+59.6%)
Per 100,000 0.47
Rank movement Up 6,971 places
2020
#14,717
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,937
+558 bearers (+40.5%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Up 4,850 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,538 | 864 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,567 | 1,379 | 0.47 | +515 bearers (+59.6%) | Up 6,971 places |
| 2020 | #14,717 | 1,937 | 0.65 | +558 bearers (+40.5%) | Up 4,850 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 Azad 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 | #19,567 | #14,717 | 24.8% |
| Count | 1,379 | 1,937 | 40.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.47 | 0.65 | 37.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Azad bearers went from 1,379 to 1,937 (+40.5% change). The surname moved up 4,850 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,567 to #14,717.
FAQ
Azad surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Azad?
Name Census estimates that about 2,221 living Americans carry the surname Azad. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 154,324 residents.
How common is Azad?
Azad ranks #14,717 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,937 people with the surname Azad. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,221), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Azad.
Has Azad become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Azad went from 1,379 recorded bearers to 1,937. That is an increase of 558 (+40.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,567 to #14,717.
What does the Census say about the background of Azad?
Among Census respondents with the surname Azad, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.4%. The next largest groups are White (21.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Azad in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.4% (1,364 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Azad appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.4%), White (21.0%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Azad (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 Azad mean?
A surname indicating freedom or liberation, likely derived from the Persian word "azad" meaning free. 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 Azad (0.65 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 surname Azad?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.