2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Moallem
A surname meaning teacher or mentor in Arabic or Persian.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Moallem. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moallem 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Moallem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moallem, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moallem
The surname MOALLEM has its origins in the Middle Eastern region, particularly in Iran and the surrounding areas. It is derived from the Arabic word "mu'allim," which translates to "teacher" or "instructor." The name's etymology suggests that it was likely given to individuals who were educators or scholars in their respective communities.
During the medieval period, the MOALLEM name can be traced back to various manuscripts and records from the Persian and Ottoman empires. It was a common surname among learned individuals and those involved in the dissemination of knowledge and Islamic teachings.
One of the earliest recorded references to the MOALLEM name dates back to the 12th century, when a renowned scholar and philosopher named Abu'l-Qasim al-Moallem was renowned for his contributions to the field of logic and metaphysics. He was born in Shiraz, Iran, and his works were widely studied and referenced by subsequent generations of scholars.
In the 14th century, a prominent jurist and theologian named Ibn al-Moallem served as the chief judge (qadi) in Damascus, Syria. His legal opinions and interpretations of Islamic law were highly regarded and influential during his time.
Another notable figure bearing the MOALLEM surname was Ali al-Moallem, a 16th-century Ottoman poet and calligrapher from Istanbul. His poetic works were celebrated for their eloquence and mastery of the Arabic language.
During the 19th century, a prominent educator named Muhammad al-Moallem established one of the first modern schools in Lebanon, contributing significantly to the spread of education in the region.
The MOALLEM name has also been associated with various place names and older spellings throughout history. For instance, the village of Moallemiyeh in Lebanon is believed to have derived its name from the presence of scholars or teachers who resided there.
As the name suggests, the MOALLEM surname has a rich history rooted in education, scholarship, and the pursuit of knowledge. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle East, individuals bearing this surname have left their mark in various fields across different regions and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moallem
Among Census respondents with the surname Moallem, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Moallem 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 Moallem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.3% · 94
- Two or more races10.3% · 12
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.0% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moallem
Moallem 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
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+4 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,931 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.5%) | Up 1,931 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 Moallem 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 | #146,201 | #144,270 | 1.3% |
| Count | 113 | 117 | 3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moallem bearers went from 113 to 117 (+3.5% change). The surname moved up 1,931 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #144,270.
FAQ
Moallem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moallem?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Moallem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Moallem?
Moallem ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Moallem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Moallem.
Has Moallem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moallem went from 113 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 4 (+3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Moallem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moallem, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.0%). 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 Moallem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.3% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moallem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.3%), Two or More Races (10.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (6.0%). 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 Moallem (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 Moallem mean?
A surname meaning teacher or mentor in Arabic or Persian. 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 Moallem (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 are called Moallem?
Find out how many people are called Moallem on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.