2000
#114,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Faheem
A surname of Arabic origin meaning intelligent, learned, or wise.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 545 Americans carry the last name Faheem. That puts it at #48,050 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 628,907 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Faheem 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 Faheem with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
545
1 in 628,907
Census rank
#48,050
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
475
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 475 bearers of the surname Faheem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48050th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Faheem, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.3%. The next largest groups are White (22.1%) and Black (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Faheem
The surname Faheem originated from the Arabic language and is believed to have its roots in the Middle East, particularly in the regions that are now modern-day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the surrounding areas. The name is thought to have emerged sometime around the 7th or 8th century AD, during the spread of Islam and the rise of the Arab caliphates.
Faheem is derived from the Arabic word "fahm," which means "understanding" or "comprehension." It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name, referring to individuals who were considered wise, knowledgeable, or possessing great understanding. The name may have been bestowed upon scholars, philosophers, or individuals who were highly educated or revered for their intellect.
While there are no definitive records of the earliest use of the surname Faheem, it is likely that it first appeared in written form in various manuscripts, chronicles, and administrative records of the early Islamic caliphates. Some of the earliest recorded examples of individuals bearing the name Faheem can be traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries AD.
One notable historical figure with the surname Faheem was Al-Faheem Al-Kindi, a renowned Arab philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who lived in the 9th century AD (circa 801-873 AD). He is considered one of the first Arab philosophers to synthesize Greek philosophy with Islamic theology and made significant contributions to the fields of optics, cryptography, and medicine.
Another prominent individual was Abu Bakr al-Faheem al-Razi, a Persian physician, philosopher, and alchemist who lived in the 9th and 10th centuries AD (circa 865-925 AD). He was considered a pioneering figure in the field of medicine and wrote numerous treatises on various medical topics, including smallpox and measles.
In the 11th century, there was Ibn Faheem Al-Andalusi, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain). He is known for his work on spherical trigonometry and for his contributions to the development of astronomical instruments and observations.
During the 12th century, a notable figure with the surname Faheem was Al-Faheem Al-Isfahani, a Persian scholar and poet who was highly regarded for his mastery of the Arabic language and his literary works. He is believed to have lived from around 1107 to 1186 AD.
In the 13th century, there was Faheem Al-Din Al-Razi, a Persian philosopher, physician, and polymath who made significant contributions to various fields, including physics, chemistry, and medicine. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of his time and is credited with numerous innovations and discoveries.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Faheem, demonstrating the rich cultural and intellectual heritage associated with this name. While the name has its origins in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals of diverse backgrounds carrying this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Faheem
Among Census respondents with the surname Faheem, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.3%. The next largest groups are White (22.1%) and Black (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Faheem 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 Faheem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.3% · 334
- White22.1% · 105
- Black or African American4.6% · 22
- Two or more races2.3% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Faheem
Faheem 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
#73,911
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 262
+120 bearers (+84.5%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 40,255 places
2020
#48,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 475
+213 bearers (+81.3%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 25,861 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #114,166 | 142 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #73,911 | 262 | 0.09 | +120 bearers (+84.5%) | Up 40,255 places |
| 2020 | #48,050 | 475 | 0.16 | +213 bearers (+81.3%) | Up 25,861 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 Faheem 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 | #73,911 | #48,050 | 35.0% |
| Count | 262 | 475 | 81.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.16 | 76.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Faheem bearers went from 262 to 475 (+81.3% change). The surname moved up 25,861 positions in the national ranking, going from #73,911 to #48,050.
FAQ
Faheem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Faheem?
Name Census estimates that about 545 living Americans carry the surname Faheem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 628,907 residents.
How common is Faheem?
Faheem ranks #48,050 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 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 475 people with the surname Faheem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (545), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 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 Faheem.
Has Faheem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Faheem went from 262 recorded bearers to 475. That is an increase of 213 (+81.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #73,911 to #48,050.
What does the Census say about the background of Faheem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Faheem, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.3%. The next largest groups are White (22.1%) and Black (4.6%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Faheem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.3% (334 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Faheem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.3%), White (22.1%), Black (4.6%). 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 Faheem (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 Faheem mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning intelligent, learned, or wise. 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 Faheem (0.16 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 Faheem?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.