2000
#21,406
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,139
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.42
Rare Last name
Rahimi
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "merciful" or "compassionate".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,598 Americans carry the last name Rahimi. That puts it at #9,836 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,262 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rahimi 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 Rahimi with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,262
Census rank
#9,836
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,138 bearers of the surname Rahimi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9836th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rahimi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 39.8%. The next largest groups are White (39.3%) and Two or More Races (18.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rahimi
The surname Rahimi has its origins in the Persian language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in what is now modern-day Iran. The name is derived from the Arabic word "rahim," which means "merciful" or "compassionate." It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name, referring to individuals who were known for their kindness and compassion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rahimi can be found in a 13th-century manuscript from the Safavid dynasty, where a nobleman by the name of Ahmad Rahimi is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already gained prominence among the Persian nobility during that period.
In the 14th century, the name Rahimi appeared in a collection of Persian poetry, where a poet known as Mehdi Rahimi was celebrated for his eloquent verses. This literary reference indicates that the name was also associated with artistic and intellectual pursuits.
During the Qajar dynasty in the 19th century, a prominent military commander named Hossein Rahimi played a significant role in the defense of the Persian Empire against foreign invaders. His bravery and leadership skills earned him recognition, and his name became synonymous with valor and patriotism.
Another notable figure in Persian history bearing the surname Rahimi was Fatima Rahimi, a pioneering women's rights activist in the early 20th century. She fought tirelessly for the education and empowerment of women, and her legacy continues to inspire generations of Iranian women.
Other influential individuals with the surname Rahimi include Mohammad Rahimi, a renowned Persian architect who designed several iconic buildings in the 16th century, and Reza Rahimi, a celebrated Persian calligrapher whose works are celebrated for their intricate and beautiful designs.
While the surname Rahimi has its roots in ancient Persia, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly among Persian diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply tied to the rich cultural heritage of Iran.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rahimi
Among Census respondents with the surname Rahimi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 39.8%. The next largest groups are White (39.3%) and Two or More Races (18.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Rahimi 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 Rahimi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander39.8% · 1,249
- White39.3% · 1,233
- Two or more races18.0% · 566
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 60
- Black or African American0.8% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rahimi
Rahimi 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
#16,582
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,730
+591 bearers (+51.9%)
Per 100,000 0.59
Rank movement Up 4,824 places
2020
#9,836
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,138
+1,408 bearers (+81.4%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 6,746 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,406 | 1,139 | 0.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,582 | 1,730 | 0.59 | +591 bearers (+51.9%) | Up 4,824 places |
| 2020 | #9,836 | 3,138 | 1.05 | +1,408 bearers (+81.4%) | Up 6,746 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 Rahimi 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 | #16,582 | #9,836 | 40.7% |
| Count | 1,730 | 3,138 | 81.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.59 | 1.05 | 77.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rahimi bearers went from 1,730 to 3,138 (+81.4% change). The surname moved up 6,746 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,582 to #9,836.
FAQ
Rahimi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rahimi?
Name Census estimates that about 3,598 living Americans carry the surname Rahimi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,262 residents.
How common is Rahimi?
Rahimi ranks #9,836 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 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 3,138 people with the surname Rahimi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,598), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 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 Rahimi.
Has Rahimi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rahimi went from 1,730 recorded bearers to 3,138. That is an increase of 1,408 (+81.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,582 to #9,836.
What does the Census say about the background of Rahimi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rahimi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 39.8%. The next largest groups are White (39.3%) and Two or More Races (18.0%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rahimi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 39.8% (1,249 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rahimi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (39.8%), White (39.3%), Two or More Races (18.0%). 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 Rahimi (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 Rahimi mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "merciful" or "compassionate". 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 Rahimi (1.05 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 Americans have the surname Rahimi?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.