Hamas last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Hamas is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hamas.

Meaning of Hamas

A surname of Arabic origin meaning "zealous" or "brave."

Hamas, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Hamas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hamas in America

Hamas is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hamas surname appeared 116 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Hamas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hamas to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 143149 148244 -3.50%
Count 116 102 12.84%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Hamas

The surname "HAMAS" originates from the Arabic language and is believed to have its roots in the Middle East, specifically in the region of Palestine. The name is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "hamasah," which means "zeal" or "fervor."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "HAMAS" can be found in the writings of Arab scholars from the 12th and 13th centuries, where it was used to refer to individuals who displayed a strong sense of passion and dedication to their beliefs or causes. It is possible that the name was initially bestowed upon those who exhibited such fervor or zeal in their actions or pursuits.

In the 14th century, the name "HAMAS" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the region, often associated with individuals involved in religious or political movements. One notable example is Hamas al-Din al-Qudsi, a renowned Islamic scholar and poet who lived in Jerusalem during the 14th century.

As the name spread across the Middle East, it underwent various spelling variations and adaptations. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include "Hamaas," "Hammas," and "Hammaz," reflecting the fluidity of Arabic naming conventions and regional dialects.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "HAMAS." One of the most prominent figures was Ahmad Hamas, a 16th-century military commander and statesman who served in the Ottoman Empire. Another notable bearer of the name was Hamas al-Kabir, a 17th-century poet and writer from Damascus, known for his contributions to Arabic literature.

In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Hamas Effendi, a prominent Ottoman diplomat and ambassador to several European countries. Hamas Effendi played a crucial role in facilitating diplomatic relations between the Ottoman Empire and various European nations during his tenure.

It is worth noting that the name "HAMAS" has also been associated with certain place names and geographic locations in the Middle East, particularly in the areas surrounding modern-day Palestine and Israel. Some of these place names include Hamas al-Kabir and Hamas al-Saghir, which were ancient villages or settlements in the region.

While the surname "HAMAS" has a rich historical background, it is important to recognize that its modern usage and associations may have evolved over time, particularly in the context of contemporary political and social movements in the Middle East.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hamas

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hamas.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hamas was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 86.21% 100
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 5.17% 6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 7.76% 9

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Hamas has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 86.21% 95.10% -9.81%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 5.17% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Hispanic 7.76% (S)% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Hamas was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hamas, please contact us.

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"Hamas last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 21, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/hamas-surname-popularity/.

"Hamas last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/hamas-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 July, 2025

Hamas last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/hamas-surname-popularity/.

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