2000
#90,652
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 189
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Khater
A surname potentially of Arabic origin, meaning woodcutter or chopper of wood.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 525 Americans carry the last name Khater. That puts it at #49,576 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 652,865 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khater 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
525
1 in 652,865
Census rank
#49,576
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
458
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 458 bearers of the surname Khater in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49576th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khater, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khater
The surname KHATER is believed to have originated in Egypt, with its roots tracing back to the Arabic language. The name is derived from the Arabic word "khater," which means "mind" or "thought." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were known for their wisdom, intelligence, or contemplative nature.
The earliest recorded instances of the KHATER surname can be found in ancient Egyptian records and manuscripts dating back to the 9th century AD. These records often referred to scholars, philosophers, and thinkers who bore this name, reflecting the intellectual connotations associated with it.
One of the earliest known individuals with the KHATER surname was Abu Bakr al-Khater, a renowned scholar and mathematician who lived in Cairo during the 10th century. His contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy were widely recognized and influential during his time.
Another notable figure bearing the KHATER surname was Fatima al-Khater, a celebrated poet and writer who lived in Alexandria during the 12th century. Her works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human experience, were widely acclaimed and continue to be studied and appreciated to this day.
In the 13th century, the KHATER surname gained prominence with the rise of Ibrahim al-Khater, a respected jurist and legal scholar who played a significant role in shaping the legal system of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Egypt, the KHATER surname was associated with several influential families who held positions of power and authority. One such family was the Khater Beys, a powerful dynasty that governed parts of Upper Egypt for several generations in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Another notable figure bearing the KHATER surname was Mustafa al-Khater, a renowned military leader and strategist who served in the Ottoman army during the 16th century. His tactical prowess and leadership skills earned him a place in the annals of Ottoman military history.
As the KHATER surname spread beyond Egypt over the centuries, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, politicians, and entrepreneurs. The name's rich history and diverse associations reflect the intellectual and cultural heritage of the region from which it originated.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khater
Among Census respondents with the surname Khater, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Khater 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 Khater surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.2% · 381
- Black or African American7.4% · 34
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.6% · 21
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 11
- Two or more races1.7% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khater
Khater 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
#65,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 303
+114 bearers (+60.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 25,228 places
2020
#49,576
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 458
+155 bearers (+51.2%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 15,848 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #90,652 | 189 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #65,424 | 303 | 0.10 | +114 bearers (+60.3%) | Up 25,228 places |
| 2020 | #49,576 | 458 | 0.15 | +155 bearers (+51.2%) | Up 15,848 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 Khater 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 | #65,424 | #49,576 | 24.2% |
| Count | 303 | 458 | 51.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.15 | 53.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khater bearers went from 303 to 458 (+51.2% change). The surname moved up 15,848 positions in the national ranking, going from #65,424 to #49,576.
FAQ
Khater surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khater?
Name Census estimates that about 525 living Americans carry the surname Khater. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 652,865 residents.
How common is Khater?
Khater ranks #49,576 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.15 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 458 people with the surname Khater. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (525), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.15 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 Khater.
Has Khater become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khater went from 303 recorded bearers to 458. That is an increase of 155 (+51.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #65,424 to #49,576.
What does the Census say about the background of Khater?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khater, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.6%). 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 Khater in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.2% (381 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khater appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.2%), Black (7.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.6%). 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 Khater (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 Khater mean?
A surname potentially of Arabic origin, meaning woodcutter or chopper of wood. 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 Khater (0.15 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 Khater?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Khater on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.