2000
#11,464
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,520
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.93
Rare Last name
Hakim
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "wise," "judicious," or referring to a ruler, doctor, or scholar.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,478 Americans carry the last name Hakim. That puts it at #8,116 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,542 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hakim 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 Hakim with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.5K
1 in 76,542
Census rank
#8,116
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,905 bearers of the surname Hakim in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8116th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hakim, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (22.0%) and Black (11.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hakim
The surname Hakim is of Arabic origin and it can be traced back to the 7th century CE, around the time of the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Arabic word "hakim," which means "wise" or "learned." It was originally used as a title for scholars, physicians, and judges who were regarded as knowledgeable and wise in their respective fields.
In the early days of Islam, the name Hakim was often associated with prominent religious scholars, philosophers, and scientists. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in the works of the renowned Arab philosopher and physician, Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abdallah ibn Sina, also known as Avicenna (980-1037 CE). He was widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age and his works, such as "The Canon of Medicine," had a significant impact on the development of medical science.
Another notable figure with the surname Hakim was the Persian poet and philosopher, Hakim Sanai (1080-1131 CE), who is considered one of the greatest literary figures in Persian literature. His masterpiece, "The Walled Garden of Truth," is a seminal work in Sufi poetry and has been widely studied and admired for its profound spiritual insights.
In the 12th century, the name Hakim was also associated with the famous Arab philosopher and theologian, Ibn Rushd, known in the West as Averroes (1126-1198 CE). He was a prominent figure in the Islamic world and his commentaries on the works of Aristotle had a significant influence on the development of Western philosophy and science.
During the Mughal Empire in India, the surname Hakim was often used by court physicians and scholars. One of the most renowned figures was Hakim Ajmal Khan (1868-1927), a renowned physician and a leading figure in the Indian independence movement. He established several educational institutions and played a crucial role in promoting traditional Indian medicine and its integration with modern medical practices.
Another notable figure with the surname Hakim was the Egyptian writer and intellectual, Tawfiq al-Hakim (1898-1987), who was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Arabic literature. His plays and novels explored complex social and philosophical issues and had a significant impact on the literary landscape of the Arab world.
Overall, the surname Hakim has a rich and diverse history, spanning across various cultures and regions. It has been associated with numerous prominent figures in fields such as philosophy, literature, medicine, and science, reflecting the essence of wisdom and knowledge that the name embodies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hakim
Among Census respondents with the surname Hakim, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (22.0%) and Black (11.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Hakim 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 Hakim surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White57.1% · 2,229
- Asian and Pacific Islander22.0% · 860
- Black or African American11.5% · 451
- Two or more races5.4% · 211
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 151
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hakim
Hakim 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
#10,185
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,165
+645 bearers (+25.6%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 1,279 places
2020
#8,116
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,905
+740 bearers (+23.4%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Up 2,069 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,464 | 2,520 | 0.93 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,185 | 3,165 | 1.07 | +645 bearers (+25.6%) | Up 1,279 places |
| 2020 | #8,116 | 3,905 | 1.31 | +740 bearers (+23.4%) | Up 2,069 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 Hakim 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 | #10,185 | #8,116 | 20.3% |
| Count | 3,165 | 3,905 | 23.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.07 | 1.31 | 22.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hakim bearers went from 3,165 to 3,905 (+23.4% change). The surname moved up 2,069 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,185 to #8,116.
FAQ
Hakim surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hakim?
Name Census estimates that about 4,478 living Americans carry the surname Hakim. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,542 residents.
How common is Hakim?
Hakim ranks #8,116 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.31 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 3,905 people with the surname Hakim. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,478), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.31 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 Hakim.
Has Hakim become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hakim went from 3,165 recorded bearers to 3,905. That is an increase of 740 (+23.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,185 to #8,116.
What does the Census say about the background of Hakim?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hakim, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (22.0%) and Black (11.5%). 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 Hakim in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.1% (2,229 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hakim appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (57.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (22.0%), Black (11.5%). 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 Hakim (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 Hakim mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "wise," "judicious," or referring to a ruler, doctor, or scholar. 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 Hakim (1.31 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 Hakim?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.