2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Begom
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a nickname or place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 161 Americans carry the last name Begom. That puts it at #127,742 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,128,909 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Begom 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 Begom with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
161
1 in 2,128,909
Census rank
#127,742
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
140
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 140 bearers of the surname Begom in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 127742nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Begom, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Begom
The surname BEGOM is of Indian origin, tracing its roots back to the 15th century in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Bhagavat," which means "Lord" or "God." This name was likely given to individuals who held high religious or spiritual positions in their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BEGOM surname can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions a noble family bearing the name BEGOM who held significant influence in the region of present-day Uttar Pradesh.
During the reign of the Mughal Empire, the BEGOM name gained further prominence. In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Mirza Qasim Begom served as a high-ranking military commander under Emperor Shah Jahan. His contributions to the imperial forces were well-documented in historical records of that era.
In the 18th century, the BEGOM surname appeared in various literary works and manuscripts, particularly those associated with Sufi poetry and mysticism. One notable figure was Mirza Rafi Begom, a renowned poet and spiritual leader who lived from 1720 to 1795. His poetic works were widely acclaimed and have been preserved in various collections.
Another significant bearer of the BEGOM name was Begum Samru, also known as Zeb-un-Nissa (1753-1836), a influential figure in the late Mughal era. She was a skilled military leader and ruler who established her own principality in the region of present-day Uttar Pradesh. Her legacy as a powerful and independent woman has been widely documented in historical accounts.
In the 19th century, the BEGOM surname continued to be associated with notable individuals in various fields. One such figure was Mirza Asadullah Khan Begom (1835-1912), a prominent scholar and writer who made significant contributions to Urdu literature and Islamic studies.
Throughout its history, the BEGOM surname has been closely tied to its Indian origins and has been borne by individuals of religious, literary, and political significance. While the name may have evolved in its spellings and pronunciations over time, its connection to the ancient Sanskrit roots and the cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent remains strong.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Begom
Among Census respondents with the surname Begom, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Begom 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 Begom surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander98.6% · 138
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Begom
Begom 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
#127,742
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
+34 bearers (+32.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 26,027 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #127,742 | 140 | 0.05 | +34 bearers (+32.1%) | Up 26,027 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 Begom 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 | #153,769 | #127,742 | 16.9% |
| Count | 106 | 140 | 32.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 17.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Begom bearers went from 106 to 140 (+32.1% change). The surname moved up 26,027 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #127,742.
FAQ
Begom surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Begom?
Name Census estimates that about 161 living Americans carry the surname Begom. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,128,909 residents.
How common is Begom?
Begom ranks #127,742 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 140 people with the surname Begom. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (161), 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 Begom.
Has Begom become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Begom went from 106 recorded bearers to 140. That is an increase of 34 (+32.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #127,742.
What does the Census say about the background of Begom?
Among Census respondents with the surname Begom, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Begom in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.6% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Begom appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (98.6%), Hispanic (1.4%). 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 Begom (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 Begom mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a nickname or place name. 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 Begom (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 Begom?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.