2000
#47,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 423
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.16
Rare Last name
Dahir
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "victorious".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,150 Americans carry the last name Dahir. That puts it at #15,103 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 159,421 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dahir 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 Dahir with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 159,421
Census rank
#15,103
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,875 bearers of the surname Dahir in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15103rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dahir, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.9%. The next largest groups are White (11.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dahir
The surname "DAHIR" has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabic-speaking regions. It is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD.
The name "DAHIR" is derived from the Arabic word "dahr," which means "time" or "era." It was likely initially used as a descriptive name for someone who was born during a significant historical period or event.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "DAHIR" can be found in medieval Arabic manuscripts and chronicles. These documents often mentioned individuals with this surname who held prominent positions or played important roles in various Islamic dynasties and empires.
In the 10th century, a notable figure named Al-Dahir al-Salihi was a prominent military commander and governor who served under the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt and Syria. He was known for his military victories and administrative skills.
Another historical figure bearing the surname "DAHIR" was Abu al-Qasim al-Dahir, who lived in the 11th century. He was a renowned poet and scholar from Seville, Spain, during the Almoravid dynasty's rule.
During the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria, which lasted from the 13th to the 16th centuries, several individuals with the surname "DAHIR" held important positions. One such figure was Amir Arghun al-Dahir, a prominent military commander and governor who served under Sultan Baybars in the late 13th century.
In the 16th century, a scholar and historian named Ibn al-Dahir al-Andalusi wrote extensively about the history and culture of Islamic Spain. His works provided valuable insights into the intellectual and literary traditions of the region during the Nasrid dynasty.
As the name "DAHIR" spread throughout the Islamic world, it also found its way into various regions and communities. For instance, in India, there are historical records of individuals with the surname "DAHIR" who held influential positions during the Mughal Empire and other Islamic dynasties that ruled parts of the subcontinent.
It is worth noting that the spelling and pronunciation of the name "DAHIR" may have evolved and adapted to different languages and cultures over time. However, its Arabic roots and connection to the concept of "time" or "era" remain a central aspect of its etymology and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dahir
Among Census respondents with the surname Dahir, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.9%. The next largest groups are White (11.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Dahir 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 Dahir surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American85.9% · 1,611
- White11.4% · 214
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 20
- Two or more races0.8% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dahir
Dahir 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
#25,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 992
+569 bearers (+134.5%)
Per 100,000 0.34
Rank movement Up 22,173 places
2020
#15,103
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,875
+883 bearers (+89.0%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 9,934 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #47,210 | 423 | 0.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,037 | 992 | 0.34 | +569 bearers (+134.5%) | Up 22,173 places |
| 2020 | #15,103 | 1,875 | 0.63 | +883 bearers (+89.0%) | Up 9,934 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 Dahir 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 | #25,037 | #15,103 | 39.7% |
| Count | 992 | 1,875 | 89.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.34 | 0.63 | 84.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dahir bearers went from 992 to 1,875 (+89.0% change). The surname moved up 9,934 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,037 to #15,103.
FAQ
Dahir surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dahir?
Name Census estimates that about 2,150 living Americans carry the surname Dahir. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 159,421 residents.
How common is Dahir?
Dahir ranks #15,103 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 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 1,875 people with the surname Dahir. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,150), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 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 Dahir.
Has Dahir become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dahir went from 992 recorded bearers to 1,875. That is an increase of 883 (+89.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #25,037 to #15,103.
What does the Census say about the background of Dahir?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dahir, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.9%. The next largest groups are White (11.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dahir in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.9% (1,611 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dahir appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (85.9%), White (11.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Dahir (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 Dahir mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "victorious". 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 Dahir (0.63 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 Dahir?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.