2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Hanash
A surname derived from the Persian word "khanas" meaning house or home.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Hanash. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hanash 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.
Bearers in the US
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Hanash in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hanash, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hanash
The surname HANASH is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of Syria and Lebanon. The name is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "hanaash," which means "snake charmer" or "snake handler." This occupation was once common in certain parts of the region, and it is likely that the name was initially given to someone who practiced this profession.
The earliest recorded instances of the name HANASH can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in historical documents and records from the area. One notable example is a merchant named Ahmad HANASH, who is mentioned in a trade agreement from the year 1274, suggesting that the name was already established at that time.
In the 15th century, the name HANASH appeared in a manuscript detailing the lineage of certain families in the city of Damascus. This manuscript provided valuable information about the origins and genealogy of the HANASH family, indicating that they had been residing in the area for several generations.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over the region, the name HANASH was found in various administrative records and tax registers. One notable individual was Yusuf HANASH, a prominent landowner who lived in the late 16th century and was recorded as owning several properties in the vicinity of Aleppo.
In the 19th century, the HANASH name gained wider recognition when a Syrian scholar and poet named Abdallah HANASH (1819-1890) achieved fame for his literary works. His poetry and writings on Arabic culture and language earned him a reputation that extended beyond the borders of Syria.
Another notable figure was Khalil HANASH (1865-1935), a Lebanese lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from French colonial rule. He served as a member of the Lebanese Parliament and was widely respected for his advocacy of national sovereignty.
During the early 20th century, the HANASH family continued to be prominent in various fields. One example is Farid HANASH (1901-1978), a renowned Syrian painter and sculptor whose works are celebrated for their depictions of Arab culture and traditions.
It is worth noting that while the HANASH surname is predominantly found in Syria and Lebanon, it has also spread to other parts of the Middle East and beyond due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hanash
Among Census respondents with the surname Hanash, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Hanash 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 Hanash surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.0% · 98
- Two or more races12.4% · 15
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.1% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hanash
Hanash appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+19 bearers (+18.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 17,123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +19 bearers (+18.6%) | Up 17,123 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 Hanash 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 | #158,432 | #141,309 | 10.8% |
| Count | 102 | 121 | 18.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 34.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hanash bearers went from 102 to 121 (+18.6% change). The surname moved up 17,123 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #141,309.
FAQ
Hanash surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hanash?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Hanash. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Hanash?
Hanash ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 121 people with the surname Hanash. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Hanash.
Has Hanash become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hanash went from 102 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 19 (+18.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Hanash?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hanash, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%). 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 Hanash in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.0% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hanash appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.0%), Two or More Races (12.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%). 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 Hanash (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 Hanash mean?
A surname derived from the Persian word "khanas" meaning house or home. 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 Hanash (0.04 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 are called Hanash?
Find out how common the surname Hanash is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.