2010
#159,712
National surname rank
First available Census row
A surname derived from Persian meaning "pious" or "devout".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Jahed. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jahed 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Jahed in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jahed, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%) and Two or More Races (19.1%).
Origin
The surname JAHED has its origins in the Middle East, particularly in Iran and surrounding regions. It is derived from the Persian word "jahed," which means "one who strives" or "one who makes an effort." The name likely emerged during the medieval period when it was used to identify individuals who demonstrated diligence and perseverance in their pursuits.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname JAHED can be found in historical manuscripts dating back to the 12th century. These documents mention individuals with this name engaged in various trades and occupations, suggesting its widespread use across different social strata.
In the 13th century, the name appears in several Persian literary works, including poetry and chronicles. A notable figure from this era was Ahmad al-Jahed, a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy.
During the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), the JAHED surname gained prominence among the Persian nobility and aristocracy. Records from this period indicate that several high-ranking officials and courtiers bore this name, reflecting their dedication and commitment to their duties.
As the name spread beyond its original Persian roots, it underwent various spelling variations in different regions. In the Ottoman Empire, for instance, the name was sometimes spelled as "Cahed" or "Jahid," reflecting the influence of Turkish phonetics.
One of the most notable individuals with the JAHED surname was Mirza Mohammad Jahed Nouri (1871-1938), a prominent Iranian politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Iran from 1918 to 1919. His efforts to modernize the country and implement reforms earned him a lasting legacy in Iranian history.
Another figure of historical significance was Ali Jahed (1892-1965), an Iranian painter and calligrapher who is considered a pioneer of modern Iranian art. His works blended traditional Persian artistic traditions with contemporary styles, leaving a lasting impact on the country's cultural landscape.
In the realm of literature, Sadegh Jahed (1922-1987) was a renowned Iranian poet and writer whose works explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary. His poetry collections, including "The Garden of Mirrors" and "The Whispers of the Night," are widely acclaimed and have been translated into multiple languages.
Beyond Iran, the JAHED surname can also be found in other Middle Eastern countries, such as Iraq and Syria, where it has been part of the cultural fabric for centuries. In these regions, the name has been associated with various professions, from scholars and writers to artisans and merchants.
Overall, the surname JAHED has a rich and diverse history, reflecting the cultural and linguistic influences of the regions where it has been prevalent. Its enduring legacy is a testament to the values of perseverance, diligence, and dedication that it has come to represent over the centuries.
Demographics
Among Census respondents with the surname Jahed, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%) and Two or More Races (19.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Jahed 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 Jahed surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
Timeline
Jahed 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.
2010
National surname rank
First available Census row
2020
National surname rank
+9 bearers (+8.9%)
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.9%) | Up 10,266 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
How has the Jahed surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #149,446 | 6.4% |
| Count | 101 | 110 | 8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jahed bearers went from 101 to 110 (+8.9% change). The surname moved up 10,266 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #149,446.
FAQ
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Jahed. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
Jahed ranks #149,446 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.
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Jahed. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
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 Jahed.
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jahed went from 101 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 9 (+8.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #149,446.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jahed, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%) and Two or More Races (19.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Jahed in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.9% (56 people in the source table).
Jahed appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (50.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%), Two or More Races (19.1%). 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.
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 Jahed (2010, 2020).
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.
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.
A surname derived from Persian meaning "pious" or "devout". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
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.
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 Jahed (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.
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.