2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Omarah
The surname OMARAH likely originated as an Arabic place name or locational surname.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Omarah. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Omarah 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Omarah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Omarah, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Omarah
The surname OMARAH is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, tracing its roots back to the Middle East region. The name is thought to derive from the Arabic word "amir," which translates to "prince" or "commander." This suggests that the surname may have been associated with individuals holding positions of authority or leadership within Arabic communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the OMARAH surname can be found in historical documents dating back to the 12th century, during the time of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt and Syria. It is mentioned in several manuscripts and records from that era, often referring to influential figures or members of noble families.
During the 14th century, the OMARAH name appeared in various Arabic manuscripts and chronicles, particularly those documenting the events and individuals of the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over parts of Egypt, Syria, and the Levant. One notable figure bearing this surname was Amir Omarah al-Kabir, a prominent military leader and commander who served under Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad in the early 14th century.
As the centuries passed, the OMARAH surname continued to be documented in various regions of the Middle East, spanning from the Arabian Peninsula to North Africa. In the 16th century, historical records mention an influential scholar and poet named Abdullah Omarah, who hailed from the city of Mecca and gained recognition for his literary works.
In the 19th century, the OMARAH surname surfaced in the Ottoman Empire's records, particularly in the regions of modern-day Turkey and the Levant. One notable figure from this period was Osman Omarah Pasha, a high-ranking Ottoman military commander who played a significant role in several campaigns and battles during the latter part of the 19th century.
Another prominent individual bearing the OMARAH surname was Khalil Omarah, an Egyptian writer and journalist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered for his contributions to Arabic literature and his advocacy for social and political reforms in Egypt during that time.
Throughout its long history, the OMARAH surname has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds, including scholars, poets, military leaders, and public figures. While its origins can be traced back to the Arabic language and the Middle East region, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchanges.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Omarah
Among Census respondents with the surname Omarah, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Omarah 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 Omarah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.2% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino6.4% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Omarah
Omarah 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
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+8 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,507 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.9%) | Up 9,507 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 Omarah 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 | #159,712 | #150,205 | 6.0% |
| Count | 101 | 109 | 7.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 21.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Omarah bearers went from 101 to 109 (+7.9% change). The surname moved up 9,507 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #150,205.
FAQ
Omarah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Omarah?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Omarah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Omarah?
Omarah ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Omarah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Omarah.
Has Omarah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Omarah went from 101 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 8 (+7.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Omarah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Omarah, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%). 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 Omarah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.2% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Omarah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.2%), Hispanic (6.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%). 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 Omarah (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 Omarah mean?
The surname OMARAH likely originated as an Arabic place name or locational surname. 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 Omarah (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 share the surname Omarah?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.