2000
#17,282
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,508
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.56
Rare Last name
Shahid
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "witness" or "martyr," often bestowed as an honorary title.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,460 Americans carry the last name Shahid. That puts it at #8,149 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,851 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shahid 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 Shahid with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.5K
1 in 76,851
Census rank
#8,149
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,889 bearers of the surname Shahid in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8149th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shahid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Black (10.4%) and White (7.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shahid
The surname "SHAHID" has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, originating from the Middle East region during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Arabic word "shahid," which means "witness" or "martyr." It was initially used to refer to those who sacrificed their lives in defense of their faith or beliefs.
This name gained significance during the early years of Islam, as it was bestowed upon individuals who embraced martyrdom in the battles fought during the spread of the religion. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical accounts and manuscripts detailing the lives of prominent figures from that era.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name "SHAHID" was Shahid ibn Jabir, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a participant in several significant battles, including the Battle of Badr in 624 CE. His bravery and unwavering faith were celebrated, and his name became synonymous with the concept of martyrdom.
Another notable figure with this surname was Shahid al-Balkhi, a renowned Persian scholar and poet who lived in the 10th century CE. He was widely regarded for his contributions to literature and philosophy, and his works have been preserved and studied by scholars throughout the centuries.
During the medieval period, the name "SHAHID" also appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the chronicles of the Abbasid Caliphate and the works of renowned historians like al-Tabari (838-923 CE) and ibn Khaldun (1332-1406 CE).
As Islam spread across different regions, the name "SHAHID" traveled with it, gaining prominence in areas like Persia (modern-day Iran), Central Asia, and parts of the Indian subcontinent. In some regions, the name underwent slight variations in spelling or pronunciation, reflecting local linguistic influences.
Over the centuries, several notable figures have carried the surname "SHAHID," including Shahid Ali Khan (1819-1879), a prominent Indian Muslim scholar and educator, and Shahid Amin (1946-2022), an acclaimed Indian historian and academic known for his works on colonial South Asia.
It is important to note that while the name "SHAHID" has its origins in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has transcended religious boundaries and has been adopted by various communities across different regions, each with their own unique histories and interpretations of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shahid
Among Census respondents with the surname Shahid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Black (10.4%) and White (7.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Shahid 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 Shahid surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander77.7% · 3,020
- Black or African American10.4% · 406
- White7.2% · 280
- Two or more races2.9% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 66
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shahid
Shahid 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
#11,942
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,618
+1,110 bearers (+73.6%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Up 5,340 places
2020
#8,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,889
+1,271 bearers (+48.5%)
Per 100,000 1.30
Rank movement Up 3,793 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,282 | 1,508 | 0.56 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,942 | 2,618 | 0.89 | +1,110 bearers (+73.6%) | Up 5,340 places |
| 2020 | #8,149 | 3,889 | 1.30 | +1,271 bearers (+48.5%) | Up 3,793 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 Shahid 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 | #11,942 | #8,149 | 31.8% |
| Count | 2,618 | 3,889 | 48.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.89 | 1.30 | 46.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shahid bearers went from 2,618 to 3,889 (+48.5% change). The surname moved up 3,793 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,942 to #8,149.
FAQ
Shahid surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shahid?
Name Census estimates that about 4,460 living Americans carry the surname Shahid. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,851 residents.
How common is Shahid?
Shahid ranks #8,149 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.30 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 3,889 people with the surname Shahid. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,460), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.30 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 Shahid.
Has Shahid become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shahid went from 2,618 recorded bearers to 3,889. That is an increase of 1,271 (+48.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,942 to #8,149.
What does the Census say about the background of Shahid?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shahid, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Black (10.4%) and White (7.2%). 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 Shahid in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.7% (3,020 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shahid appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (77.7%), Black (10.4%), White (7.2%). 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 Shahid (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 Shahid mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "witness" or "martyr," often bestowed as an honorary title. 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 Shahid (1.30 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 common is the surname Shahid?
See how common the surname Shahid is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.