2000
#25,865
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 893
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.33
Rare Last name
Memon
A surname referring to a Muslim trade group originating in the Indian subcontinent.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,406 Americans carry the last name Memon. That puts it at #13,798 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 142,458 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Memon 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 Memon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 142,458
Census rank
#13,798
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,098 bearers of the surname Memon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13798th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Memon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Memon
The surname MEMON originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Sindh, which is now a part of modern-day Pakistan. Its roots can be traced back to the 7th century AD, when Arab traders and missionaries arrived in the region. The name MEMON is derived from the Arabic word "mu'min," which means "believer" or "one who has faith."
During the medieval period, the MEMON community established itself as a prosperous group of merchants and traders, with a strong presence in the coastal cities of Sindh and Gujarat. They played a significant role in the vibrant maritime trade routes that connected the Indian subcontinent with the Middle East and beyond.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name MEMON can be found in the historical accounts of the Samma Dynasty, which ruled over parts of Sindh between the 14th and 16th centuries. Several MEMON merchants are mentioned as influential figures in the court chronicles of that era.
In the 16th century, a prominent MEMON named Nur Muhammad Memon served as the governor of Thatta, a major port city in Sindh, under the Mughal Empire. His legacy is celebrated in various historical manuscripts and inscriptions from that period.
Another notable figure was Haji Memon, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from the 18th century, who funded the construction of several mosques, caravanserais, and educational institutions in the region. His legacy can be traced through the architectural marvels that still stand today.
In the 19th century, the MEMON community expanded its presence across the Indian subcontinent, with significant populations in cities like Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), and Karachi. Several MEMON families played a crucial role in the development of these urban centers, contributing to the economic and cultural fabric of the region.
One of the most prominent MEMON figures of the 20th century was Sir Adamjee Hajee Dawood Memon, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bombay. He established the Adamjee Group, a diversified conglomerate, and was recognized for his philanthropy, receiving numerous honors, including knighthood from the British Empire.
Another notable MEMON individual was Hashoo Kemal, born in 1954, a Pakistani business magnate and hotelier who founded the Hashoo Group, one of the largest hospitality chains in Pakistan. His contributions to the tourism industry and entrepreneurship have been widely recognized.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Memon
Among Census respondents with the surname Memon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Memon 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 Memon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.1% · 1,911
- White3.9% · 81
- Two or more races3.3% · 70
- Hispanic or Latino1.1% · 24
- Black or African American0.4% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Memon
Memon 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
#18,208
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,528
+635 bearers (+71.1%)
Per 100,000 0.52
Rank movement Up 7,657 places
2020
#13,798
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,098
+570 bearers (+37.3%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Up 4,410 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #25,865 | 893 | 0.33 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,208 | 1,528 | 0.52 | +635 bearers (+71.1%) | Up 7,657 places |
| 2020 | #13,798 | 2,098 | 0.70 | +570 bearers (+37.3%) | Up 4,410 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 Memon 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 | #18,208 | #13,798 | 24.2% |
| Count | 1,528 | 2,098 | 37.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.52 | 0.70 | 35.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Memon bearers went from 1,528 to 2,098 (+37.3% change). The surname moved up 4,410 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,208 to #13,798.
FAQ
Memon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Memon?
Name Census estimates that about 2,406 living Americans carry the surname Memon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 142,458 residents.
How common is Memon?
Memon ranks #13,798 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,098 people with the surname Memon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,406), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Memon.
Has Memon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Memon went from 1,528 recorded bearers to 2,098. That is an increase of 570 (+37.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,208 to #13,798.
What does the Census say about the background of Memon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Memon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Memon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (1,911 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Memon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.1%), White (3.9%), Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Memon (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 Memon mean?
A surname referring to a Muslim trade group originating in the Indian subcontinent. 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 Memon (0.70 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 Memon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.