2000
#18,239
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,405
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.52
Rare Last name
Momin
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "faithful" or "believing," often referring to a devout Muslim.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,383 Americans carry the last name Momin. That puts it at #8,298 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.28 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,201 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Momin 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 Momin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.4K
1 in 78,201
Census rank
#8,298
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,822 bearers of the surname Momin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.28 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8298th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Momin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Momin
The surname Momin has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "mu'min," which means "believer" or "faithful one." This name is particularly prevalent among Muslim communities across various regions, including the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Africa.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Momin can be traced back to the 7th century CE when Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsula. During this period, individuals who embraced the Islamic faith often adopted the honorific title "mu'min" as a mark of their religious devotion and commitment to the teachings of Islam.
One of the earliest known historical references to the surname Momin can be found in medieval Arabic manuscripts and chronicles, which documented the lives and achievements of prominent scholars, warriors, and religious figures who bore this name.
In the 11th century, a renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher, Al-Momin Al-Baghdadi (1010-1096), gained widespread recognition for his contributions to the fields of logic, metaphysics, and theology. His works, including "Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq" (The Difference Between the Sects), had a profound impact on the intellectual discourse of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the surname Momin was Khawaja Momin Hosseini (1325-1386), a Persian poet and mystic who lived during the Timurid period. His poetry, which celebrated the themes of love, spirituality, and devotion, has been widely studied and appreciated by scholars and literary enthusiasts alike.
In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Momin has a long and rich history, with many individuals of this name playing pivotal roles in various spheres, including politics, religion, and literature. One such figure was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), a renowned scholar, writer, and one of the key leaders of the Indian independence movement, who bore the surname Momin.
Another prominent individual with the surname Momin was Syed Ahmed Momin (1868-1953), a renowned educator and social reformer from Bengal, who dedicated his life to promoting education and empowering marginalized communities.
Throughout history, the surname Momin has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields, embodying the values of faith, knowledge, and dedication. While the name may have evolved and taken on various spellings and forms across different regions and cultures, its core meaning and significance have remained deeply rooted in the principles of belief and devotion.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Momin
Among Census respondents with the surname Momin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Momin 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 Momin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.8% · 3,624
- White2.1% · 82
- Two or more races1.2% · 44
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 37
- Black or African American0.8% · 30
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Momin
Momin 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
#10,851
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,935
+1,530 bearers (+108.9%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Up 7,388 places
2020
#8,298
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,822
+887 bearers (+30.2%)
Per 100,000 1.28
Rank movement Up 2,553 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,239 | 1,405 | 0.52 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,851 | 2,935 | 0.99 | +1,530 bearers (+108.9%) | Up 7,388 places |
| 2020 | #8,298 | 3,822 | 1.28 | +887 bearers (+30.2%) | Up 2,553 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 Momin 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 | #10,851 | #8,298 | 23.5% |
| Count | 2,935 | 3,822 | 30.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.99 | 1.28 | 29.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Momin bearers went from 2,935 to 3,822 (+30.2% change). The surname moved up 2,553 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,851 to #8,298.
FAQ
Momin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Momin?
Name Census estimates that about 4,383 living Americans carry the surname Momin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 78,201 residents.
How common is Momin?
Momin ranks #8,298 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.28 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 3,822 people with the surname Momin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,383), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.28 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.28 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 Momin.
Has Momin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Momin went from 2,935 recorded bearers to 3,822. That is an increase of 887 (+30.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,851 to #8,298.
What does the Census say about the background of Momin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Momin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Momin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (3,624 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Momin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.8%), White (2.1%), Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Momin (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 Momin mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "faithful" or "believing," often referring to a devout Muslim. 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 Momin (1.28 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 Momin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.