2000
#37,688
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 555
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Rare Last name
Hamza
An Arabic surname originating from the namesake of the Prophet Muhammad's uncle.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,058 Americans carry the last name Hamza. That puts it at #15,667 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 166,547 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hamza 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 Hamza with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 166,547
Census rank
#15,667
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,795 bearers of the surname Hamza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15667th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hamza, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.9%. The next largest groups are Black (23.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (19.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hamza
The surname HAMZA originated in the Middle East, primarily in the Arab world. It is an Arabic name derived from the word "Hamazah," which means "lion" or "brave one." The name's origins can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
One of the earliest known references to the name HAMZA is found in the Quran, where it is mentioned as the name of one of the Prophet Muhammad's uncles, Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib. Hamza played a crucial role in the early days of Islam and is revered as one of the first martyrs of the faith.
The name HAMZA became popular among Arab Muslims, particularly in regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, and North Africa. It was often given to male children as a way to honor the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad's uncle and his bravery in defending the nascent Islamic community.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname HAMZA. One of the most prominent was Hamza ibn al-Haytham al-Harithi (d. 689 CE), a renowned Arab poet and warrior from the Umayyad era. Another notable figure was Hamza al-Isfahani (d. 961 CE), a prominent Arabic philologist and scholar from the Abbasid period.
In the medieval period, the name HAMZA appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including the works of renowned Arab historians and chroniclers. For instance, the 9th-century historian al-Tabari mentions individuals with the surname HAMZA in his monumental work, "The History of Prophets and Kings."
The surname HAMZA also has connections to certain place names, particularly in the Middle East. For example, the town of Hamza in modern-day Jordan is believed to have derived its name from an individual or family with the surname HAMZA who had settled in the area.
Other notable individuals with the surname HAMZA include:
1. Hamza ibn Abi al-Salt (d. 1155 CE), an influential Arab poet and litterateur from Granada, Al-Andalus.
2. Hamza Fansuri (c. 1590-1630 CE), a prominent Sufi scholar and poet from Aceh, Indonesia.
3. Hamza Shehata (1898-1971), an Egyptian playwright and novelist known for his work in the field of Arabic literature.
4. Hamza al-Ghamdi (b. 1967), a Saudi Arabian football player and manager.
5. Hamza Mendil (b. 1983), a French-Algerian professional boxer and former Olympic champion.
The surname HAMZA has maintained its significance and presence across various regions and cultures, reflecting its deep historical roots and the enduring legacy of its namesake, the courageous uncle of the Prophet Muhammad.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hamza
Among Census respondents with the surname Hamza, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.9%. The next largest groups are Black (23.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (19.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Hamza 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 Hamza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.9% · 895
- Black or African American23.9% · 429
- Asian and Pacific Islander19.6% · 352
- Two or more races4.2% · 76
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 43
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hamza
Hamza 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
#24,237
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,035
+480 bearers (+86.5%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Up 13,451 places
2020
#15,667
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,795
+760 bearers (+73.4%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Up 8,570 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #37,688 | 555 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,237 | 1,035 | 0.35 | +480 bearers (+86.5%) | Up 13,451 places |
| 2020 | #15,667 | 1,795 | 0.60 | +760 bearers (+73.4%) | Up 8,570 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 Hamza 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 | #24,237 | #15,667 | 35.4% |
| Count | 1,035 | 1,795 | 73.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.60 | 71.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hamza bearers went from 1,035 to 1,795 (+73.4% change). The surname moved up 8,570 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,237 to #15,667.
FAQ
Hamza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hamza?
Name Census estimates that about 2,058 living Americans carry the surname Hamza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 166,547 residents.
How common is Hamza?
Hamza ranks #15,667 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 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 1,795 people with the surname Hamza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,058), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 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 Hamza.
Has Hamza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hamza went from 1,035 recorded bearers to 1,795. That is an increase of 760 (+73.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #24,237 to #15,667.
What does the Census say about the background of Hamza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hamza, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.9%. The next largest groups are Black (23.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (19.6%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hamza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.9% (895 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hamza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.9%), Black (23.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (19.6%). 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 Hamza (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 Hamza mean?
An Arabic surname originating from the namesake of the Prophet Muhammad's uncle. 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 Hamza (0.60 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 Hamza?
See how many people have the last name Hamza on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.