2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dabah
An Arabic surname potentially derived from the word "dabah" meaning animal or beast.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Dabah. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dabah 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Dabah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dabah, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dabah
The surname DABAH is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of modern-day Iraq and Iran. It is thought to have its roots in the Arabic language, where the word "dabah" means "animal" or "beast." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term or nickname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the DABAH surname can be found in ancient Mesopotamian records dating back to around the 7th century AD. These records mention individuals with variations of the name, such as DABAHA and DABAHI, suggesting that the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time.
During the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century, the DABAH name gained prominence in various parts of the Middle East. It is recorded in several historical manuscripts and documents from that era, indicating that individuals bearing this surname held positions of importance in various fields, including scholarship, trade, and governance.
In the 11th century, a notable figure named Abu Bakr al-DABAH al-Basri was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Basra, a city in modern-day Iraq. He is known for his contributions to the study of Islamic law and his influential writings on various legal and theological topics.
During the Crusades, which took place from the late 11th to the late 13th century, the DABAH surname is believed to have spread to other regions as a result of migration and cultural exchange. Records from this period mention individuals with the DABAH name in areas such as the Levant and parts of Europe.
In the 14th century, a prominent scholar and mathematician named Ahmad al-DABAH al-Andalusi, who was originally from the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal), made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and mathematics. He is credited with developing advanced astronomical instruments and refining existing mathematical theories.
Another notable figure from the 15th century was Fatima al-DABAH, a renowned poet and writer from the city of Baghdad, now in modern-day Iraq. Her poetic works were celebrated for their eloquence and their ability to capture the cultural and societal dynamics of her time.
By the 16th century, the DABAH surname had spread to various parts of the Ottoman Empire, which encompassed regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. Historical records from this period mention individuals with the DABAH name holding various positions within the Ottoman administrative and military ranks.
Throughout its history, the DABAH surname has been closely associated with various cultural and intellectual traditions of the Middle East, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dabah
Among Census respondents with the surname Dabah, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Dabah 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 Dabah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.4% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dabah
Dabah 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
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-20 bearers (-15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,591 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-15.7%) | Down 18,591 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 Dabah 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 | #133,048 | #151,639 | -14.0% |
| Count | 127 | 107 | -15.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dabah bearers went from 127 to 107 (-15.7% change). The surname moved down 18,591 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #151,639.
FAQ
Dabah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dabah?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Dabah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Dabah?
Dabah ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 107 people with the surname Dabah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Dabah.
Has Dabah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dabah went from 127 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 20 (-15.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Dabah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dabah, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%). 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 Dabah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dabah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.4%), Hispanic (5.6%). 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 Dabah (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 Dabah mean?
An Arabic surname potentially derived from the word "dabah" meaning animal or beast. 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 Dabah (0.04 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 Dabah?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.