2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Rare Last name
Kashif
A surname meaning "explorer" or "seeker of truth" in Arabic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,105 Americans carry the last name Kashif. That puts it at #26,628 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 310,185 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kashif 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 Kashif with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 310,185
Census rank
#26,628
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
964
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 964 bearers of the surname Kashif in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26628th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kashif, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Black (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kashif
The surname Kashif has its origins in the Middle East, particularly in the Arab world. It is derived from the Arabic word "kashif," which means "discoverer" or "revealer." The name likely emerged during the medieval period when the Arabic language and culture had a significant influence across the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kashif can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in historical documents from the Abbasid Caliphate, a prominent Islamic empire that ruled over vast territories across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. The name was often associated with scholars, poets, and intellectuals who played a role in revealing and uncovering knowledge.
In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Muhammad ibn al-Kashif al-Baghdadi was a renowned scholar and author from Baghdad, who wrote extensively on topics such as literature, grammar, and poetry. His works were widely circulated and studied during that time, further contributing to the recognition of the name Kashif.
Another notable individual bearing the surname Kashif was Ali al-Kashif al-Ghita, a 15th-century Sufi mystic and poet from present-day Lebanon. His poetic works, which often explored spiritual and mystical themes, were highly regarded and influential in the region.
During the Ottoman Empire, which spanned from the 14th to the early 20th century, the name Kashif appeared in various records and documents. One such individual was Mustafa Kashif, a 17th-century Ottoman poet and writer who gained recognition for his literary works.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure named Ismail Kashif al-Ghita was a renowned Islamic scholar and reformer from present-day Lebanon. He played a significant role in promoting education and advocating for social and religious reforms in the region.
While the surname Kashif has its roots in the Arab world, it has also been adopted by various communities and cultures across different regions, particularly in South Asia and parts of Africa. This is due to the historical influence of the Arabic language and culture in these areas, as well as migration patterns and cultural exchanges over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kashif
Among Census respondents with the surname Kashif, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Black (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Kashif 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 Kashif surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander86.5% · 834
- White5.8% · 56
- Black or African American5.2% · 50
- Two or more races1.7% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kashif
Kashif 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
#53,204
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 389
+280 bearers (+256.9%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 87,552 places
2020
#26,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 964
+575 bearers (+147.8%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Up 26,576 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #53,204 | 389 | 0.13 | +280 bearers (+256.9%) | Up 87,552 places |
| 2020 | #26,628 | 964 | 0.32 | +575 bearers (+147.8%) | Up 26,576 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 Kashif 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 | #53,204 | #26,628 | 50.0% |
| Count | 389 | 964 | 147.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.32 | 148.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kashif bearers went from 389 to 964 (+147.8% change). The surname moved up 26,576 positions in the national ranking, going from #53,204 to #26,628.
FAQ
Kashif surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kashif?
Name Census estimates that about 1,105 living Americans carry the surname Kashif. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 310,185 residents.
How common is Kashif?
Kashif ranks #26,628 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.32 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 964 people with the surname Kashif. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,105), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.32 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 Kashif.
Has Kashif become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kashif went from 389 recorded bearers to 964. That is an increase of 575 (+147.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #53,204 to #26,628.
What does the Census say about the background of Kashif?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kashif, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Black (5.2%). 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 Kashif in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.5% (834 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kashif appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (86.5%), White (5.8%), Black (5.2%). 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 Kashif (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 Kashif mean?
A surname meaning "explorer" or "seeker of truth" in Arabic. 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 Kashif (0.32 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 Americans have the surname Kashif?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.