2000
#10,111
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,934
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.09
Rare Last name
Azar
A Jewish surname of Hebrew origin meaning "helper" or referring to the biblical prophet Ezra.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,188 Americans carry the last name Azar. That puts it at #8,626 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 81,842 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Azar 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 Azar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.2K
1 in 81,842
Census rank
#8,626
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,652 bearers of the surname Azar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8626th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Azar, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Azar
The surname Azar has its origins in the Middle East, with roots tracing back to ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) and the Arabic world. It is derived from the Arabic word "azar," meaning "free" or "noble." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals of noble or high-ranking status.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Azar can be found in Persian literature, specifically in the epic poem Shahnameh (Book of Kings) by the renowned poet Ferdowsi, written between 977 and 1010 AD. The name appears in reference to several characters, indicating its prevalence in the region during that era.
As the name spread across the Middle East, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Azhar, Azhar, and Azer. These variations can be found in historical records from various regions, including Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria.
In the 11th century, the name Azar gained prominence in certain areas of the Levant, particularly in what is now modern-day Lebanon and Syria. Historical records from this period mention several notable figures bearing the surname, including Azar al-Dimashqi, a renowned scholar and philosopher from Damascus who lived from 1059 to 1134.
During the 13th century, the Azar surname appeared in various manuscripts and records from the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over parts of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. One notable figure from this period was Azar al-Qahiri, a celebrated poet and scholar who lived from 1215 to 1288 in Cairo, Egypt.
In the 16th century, the Azar surname gained popularity in parts of the Ottoman Empire, particularly in regions that are now part of modern-day Turkey and the Balkans. One prominent figure from this era was Azar Efendi, an Ottoman statesman and Grand Vizier who served under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the mid-16th century.
Another notable individual with the surname Azar was Mirza Azar, a Persian diplomat and scholar who lived from 1784 to 1848. He played a significant role in the diplomatic relations between Persia (Iran) and various European powers during the early 19th century.
Over the centuries, the Azar surname has continued to be found in various regions of the Middle East, as well as in communities of Middle Eastern descent around the world. While the name has maintained its distinct Arabic and Persian roots, it has also been subject to variations and adaptations as it has spread across different cultures and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Azar
Among Census respondents with the surname Azar, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Azar 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 Azar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.1% · 3,109
- Hispanic or Latino8.2% · 298
- Two or more races3.3% · 122
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 60
- Black or African American1.6% · 59
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Azar
Azar 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
#9,643
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,365
+431 bearers (+14.7%)
Per 100,000 1.14
Rank movement Up 468 places
2020
#8,626
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,652
+287 bearers (+8.5%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Up 1,017 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,111 | 2,934 | 1.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,643 | 3,365 | 1.14 | +431 bearers (+14.7%) | Up 468 places |
| 2020 | #8,626 | 3,652 | 1.22 | +287 bearers (+8.5%) | Up 1,017 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 Azar 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 | #9,643 | #8,626 | 10.5% |
| Count | 3,365 | 3,652 | 8.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.14 | 1.22 | 7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Azar bearers went from 3,365 to 3,652 (+8.5% change). The surname moved up 1,017 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,643 to #8,626.
FAQ
Azar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Azar?
Name Census estimates that about 4,188 living Americans carry the surname Azar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 81,842 residents.
How common is Azar?
Azar ranks #8,626 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.22 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 3,652 people with the surname Azar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,188), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.22 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 Azar.
Has Azar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Azar went from 3,365 recorded bearers to 3,652. That is an increase of 287 (+8.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,643 to #8,626.
What does the Census say about the background of Azar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Azar, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Azar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (3,109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Azar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.1%), Hispanic (8.2%), Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Azar (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 Azar mean?
A Jewish surname of Hebrew origin meaning "helper" or referring to the biblical prophet Ezra. 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 Azar (1.22 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 share the surname Azar?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.