Find out how popular the last name Obaid is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Obaid.

Obaid, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Obaid surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Obaid in America

Obaid is the 33530th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Obaid surname appeared 680 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Obaid.

We can also compare 2010 data for Obaid to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Obaid

The surname OBAID has its origins in the Arabic language and is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in regions that are now part of modern-day Saudi Arabia and the surrounding Gulf countries. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Ubaid," which means "servant" or "worshipper."

OBAID is considered an ancient name, with its roots tracing back to the early days of Islam. It is possible that the name was adopted by individuals who converted to Islam during the religion's initial spread across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The name's connection to the concept of servitude or worship suggests that it may have been borne by those who dedicated themselves to the service of Allah or to their religion.

In terms of historical references, the name OBAID has been found in various Arabic manuscripts and records dating back to the medieval period. One notable example is the mention of an individual named Obaid bin Abdulrahman in the historic chronicles of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled a vast empire spanning parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia between the 8th and 13th centuries.

The earliest recorded examples of the name OBAID can be traced back to the 7th and 8th centuries CE, during the early years of the Islamic era. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Obaid bin Abi Al-Bah, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who lived in the 7th century CE.

Another prominent figure bearing the surname OBAID was Obaid Allah bin Ziyad, a notable Arab general and governor who served under the Umayyad Caliphate in the late 7th century CE. He played a significant role in the Muslim conquest of Central Asia and the expansion of the Islamic empire into what is now modern-day Iran and Afghanistan.

In the 9th century CE, Obaid bin Al-Abras was a renowned Arab poet and scholar who hailed from the city of Basra, located in present-day Iraq. His works and contributions to Arabic literature have been widely studied and celebrated throughout the ages.

During the 12th century, Obaid Al-Zakani was a prominent Arab poet and philosopher who lived in the city of Qazvin, located in modern-day Iran. His poetic works, which often explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, have left a lasting impact on Arabic literature.

In more recent times, one notable individual with the surname OBAID was Abdulrahman Obaid Yousef, a Kuwaiti businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1932 to 2021. He was known for his contributions to various charitable initiatives and his support for educational causes in Kuwait and the broader Gulf region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Obaid

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Obaid.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Obaid was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Obaid has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Obaid was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Obaid, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!