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

Pharaoh, 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 Pharaoh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pharaoh in America

Pharaoh is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pharaoh surname appeared 173 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 Pharaoh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pharaoh 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 Pharaoh

The surname Pharaoh has its origins in ancient Egypt, dating back to the time of the powerful Pharaohs who ruled over the land of the Nile. This name is derived from the Egyptian word "pr-aa", which means "great house" or "palace", referring to the grand residences of the Pharaohs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pharaoh can be found in the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions and papyrus scrolls that have survived over the millennia. These documents often mention the names of various Pharaohs, such as Ramesses II and Tutankhamun, who ruled during the New Kingdom period (c. 1550-1070 BCE).

The surname Pharaoh likely originated as a way to identify individuals who held important positions or had connections to the royal households of the Pharaohs. It may have been used as a title or honorific for those who served in the palaces or were part of the administrative or religious hierarchies of ancient Egypt.

As the centuries passed, the name Pharaoh spread beyond the borders of Egypt, carried by travelers, merchants, and scholars who encountered the rich culture and history of the ancient civilization. It is possible that some individuals adopted the name as a way to associate themselves with the grandeur and power of the Pharaohs, even if they were not directly related to the rulers themselves.

One notable individual who bore the surname Pharaoh was Amenhotep Pharaoh, an Egyptian scribe and historian who lived during the reign of Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE. His writings provided valuable insights into the daily life and customs of the ancient Egyptians.

In the medieval period, the name Pharaoh appeared in various European chronicles and records, albeit with slight variations in spelling, such as Faraoh or Pharao. One example is the mention of a noble called Sir John Pharaoh in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.

Another prominent figure with the surname Pharaoh was Sir Thomas Pharaoh, an English merchant and explorer who lived in the late 16th century. He is believed to have undertaken voyages to the West Indies and contributed to the expansion of British trade and colonization efforts in the Caribbean.

In the 17th century, a Dutch scholar and linguist named Johannes Pharaoh gained recognition for his work in translating ancient Egyptian texts and deciphering hieroglyphic inscriptions. His contributions helped advance the understanding of the rich cultural heritage of ancient Egypt.

As the name Pharaoh spread across different cultures and regions, it evolved into various spellings and variations, such as Faraon, Farrow, and Pharow. However, the connection to the ancient Egyptian rulers and the grandeur of their palaces remained a common thread throughout its history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pharaoh

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

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 Pharaoh 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 Pharaoh 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 Pharaoh was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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