2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Khalfani
An Arabic surname meaning "born after," often referring to a child born after a long wait.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Khalfani. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khalfani 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Khalfani in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khalfani, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.0%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khalfani
The surname KHALFANI has its origins in the Swahili language, spoken primarily in East Africa. It is believed to have originated among the Bantu people, an ethno-linguistic group native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The name is thought to be derived from the Swahili word "khalfani," which means "one who succeeds" or "one who prevails."
The earliest known records of the surname KHALFANI date back to the 17th century, when it was commonly found in coastal regions of present-day Kenya and Tanzania. During this period, these areas were part of the Swahili Coast, a region known for its vibrant trade networks and cultural exchange between African, Arab, and Persian influences.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname KHALFANI was Ali bin Khalfani, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in Mombasa, Kenya, in the late 17th century. His name appears in several historical accounts detailing the trade routes and economic activities along the Swahili Coast during that era.
In the 19th century, the surname KHALFANI gained further recognition with the birth of Abdallah bin Khalfan, a renowned Swahili poet and scholar born in Zanzibar in 1835. His works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, are considered seminal contributions to the Swahili literary tradition.
Another notable figure bearing the surname KHALFANI was Fatuma bint Khalfani, a pioneering Swahili writer and feminist activist from Lamu, Kenya, born in 1890. Her writings advocated for women's rights and education, challenging societal norms and paving the way for future generations of Swahili women intellectuals.
The surname KHALFANI also has historical ties to the island of Pemba, off the coast of Tanzania. In the early 20th century, Muhammed bin Khalfani was a prominent figure in the Pemba Clove Revolt, a rebellion against the oppressive policies of the colonial administration in the region.
As the Swahili diaspora spread across East Africa and beyond, the surname KHALFANI has been carried to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in their respective fields and communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khalfani
Among Census respondents with the surname Khalfani, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.0%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Khalfani 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 Khalfani surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American85.0% · 102
- White5.0% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khalfani
Khalfani 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
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+11 bearers (+10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,403 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.1%) | Up 8,403 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 Khalfani 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 | #150,452 | #142,049 | 5.6% |
| Count | 109 | 120 | 10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khalfani bearers went from 109 to 120 (+10.1% change). The surname moved up 8,403 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #142,049.
FAQ
Khalfani surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khalfani?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Khalfani. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Khalfani?
Khalfani ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Khalfani. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Khalfani.
Has Khalfani become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khalfani went from 109 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 11 (+10.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Khalfani?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khalfani, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.0%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Hispanic (4.2%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Khalfani in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.0% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khalfani appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (85.0%), White (5.0%), Hispanic (4.2%). 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 Khalfani (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 Khalfani mean?
An Arabic surname meaning "born after," often referring to a child born after a long wait. 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 Khalfani (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 have the surname Khalfani?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.