2000
#12,405
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,295
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Hamid
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "praiseworthy" or "commendable."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,113 Americans carry the last name Hamid. That puts it at #7,217 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,036 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hamid 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 Hamid with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.1K
1 in 67,036
Census rank
#7,217
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,459 bearers of the surname Hamid in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7217th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hamid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 42.8%. The next largest groups are White (25.9%) and Black (20.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hamid
The surname "HAMID" has its origins in the Arabic language and it is believed to have originated in the Middle East region, specifically in countries like Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates. The name "HAMID" is derived from the Arabic word "hamid," which means "praiseworthy" or "laudable."
The earliest recorded instances of the surname "HAMID" can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the early days of Islamic civilization. The name appears in various historical records and manuscripts from that time period, particularly in regions where Arabic was the dominant language.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "HAMID" was Abu Muhammad al-Hamid al-Gharnati, a renowned Andalusian Muslim scholar and mathematician who lived in the 12th century (1080-1170 AD). He was known for his contributions to the fields of algebra and trigonometry.
Another notable figure with the surname "HAMID" was Al-Hamid ibn Yahya al-Katib, a prominent Arabic poet and scribe who lived in the 9th century (790-868 AD). He was renowned for his mastery of the Arabic language and his poetic works.
In the 13th century, there was a prominent Sufi mystic and poet named Farid al-Din Attar, whose full name was Abu Hamid bin Abu Bakr Ibrahim. He was born in Nishapur, Iran, and is considered one of the most influential Persian poets of all time.
During the Ottoman Empire, there was a famous Ottoman statesman and diplomat named Hamid Pasha, who lived in the 19th century (1818-1888). He served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire and played a significant role in the modernization efforts of the empire.
Another notable individual with the surname "HAMID" was Hamid al-Ghazali, a renowned Islamic theologian, philosopher, and mystic who lived in the 11th century (1058-1111 AD). He is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Islamic thought and his works had a profound impact on both Islamic and Western philosophy.
While the surname "HAMID" has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. The name can now be found among individuals of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, reflecting the rich tapestry of human history and the interconnectedness of different civilizations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hamid
Among Census respondents with the surname Hamid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 42.8%. The next largest groups are White (25.9%) and Black (20.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Hamid 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 Hamid surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander42.8% · 1,907
- White25.9% · 1,153
- Black or African American20.4% · 909
- Two or more races7.9% · 353
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 120
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hamid
Hamid 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
#9,473
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,433
+1,138 bearers (+49.6%)
Per 100,000 1.16
Rank movement Up 2,932 places
2020
#7,217
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,459
+1,026 bearers (+29.9%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Up 2,256 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,405 | 2,295 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,473 | 3,433 | 1.16 | +1,138 bearers (+49.6%) | Up 2,932 places |
| 2020 | #7,217 | 4,459 | 1.49 | +1,026 bearers (+29.9%) | Up 2,256 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 Hamid 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 | #9,473 | #7,217 | 23.8% |
| Count | 3,433 | 4,459 | 29.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.16 | 1.49 | 28.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hamid bearers went from 3,433 to 4,459 (+29.9% change). The surname moved up 2,256 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,473 to #7,217.
FAQ
Hamid surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hamid?
Name Census estimates that about 5,113 living Americans carry the surname Hamid. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,036 residents.
How common is Hamid?
Hamid ranks #7,217 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.49 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 4,459 people with the surname Hamid. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,113), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.49 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 Hamid.
Has Hamid become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hamid went from 3,433 recorded bearers to 4,459. That is an increase of 1,026 (+29.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,473 to #7,217.
What does the Census say about the background of Hamid?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hamid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 42.8%. The next largest groups are White (25.9%) and Black (20.4%). 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 Hamid in the 2020 Census, accounting for 42.8% (1,907 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hamid appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (42.8%), White (25.9%), Black (20.4%). 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 Hamid (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 Hamid mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "praiseworthy" or "commendable." 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 Hamid (1.49 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 last name Hamid?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Hamid? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.