2000
#20,871
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,176
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.44
Rare Last name
Suleiman
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "man of peace" or "peaceful."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,347 Americans carry the last name Suleiman. That puts it at #10,489 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 102,406 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Suleiman 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 Suleiman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 102,406
Census rank
#10,489
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,919 bearers of the surname Suleiman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10489th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Suleiman, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.0%. The next largest groups are Black (21.2%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Suleiman
The surname Suleiman is of Arabic origin, derived from the male given name Sulaiman, an Arabic form of the Hebrew name Solomon. This name is believed to have first appeared in the region of the Middle East around the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam.
The name Suleiman is rooted in the Arabic word "salama," which means "peace" or "safety." It is a name that carries a significant historical and cultural significance in the Islamic world, as it is associated with the iconic figure of Prophet Solomon, revered in both Islamic and Judeo-Christian traditions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Suleiman can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, where Prophet Solomon is mentioned numerous times. He is celebrated for his wisdom, wealth, and mastery over the natural world, including the ability to communicate with animals and control the winds.
Throughout history, the name Suleiman has been borne by several notable individuals, including Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. His reign was marked by significant territorial expansion, cultural achievements, and architectural marvels, such as the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.
Another prominent figure with the surname Suleiman was Ali ibn Abi Talib (601-661), the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, who became the fourth caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate. He is revered as one of the most influential figures in early Islamic history and is considered a spiritual and political leader by Shia Muslims.
In the 13th century, the name Suleiman appeared in the travel writings of Marco Polo, the famous Venetian merchant and explorer. He referred to a powerful Muslim ruler in the region of modern-day Iran as "Suldana Saleiman," highlighting the widespread use of the name among the ruling classes of the time.
Another notable bearer of the surname Suleiman was Taufiq al-Suleiman (1930-2009), a renowned Syrian poet and writer. His works explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, earning him recognition as one of the most influential literary figures in the Arab world.
While the surname Suleiman has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals of diverse backgrounds and cultures. However, its enduring connection to the Islamic faith and the legendary figure of Prophet Solomon remains a testament to its rich historical and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Suleiman
Among Census respondents with the surname Suleiman, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.0%. The next largest groups are Black (21.2%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Suleiman 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 Suleiman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.0% · 1,984
- Black or African American21.2% · 620
- Two or more races5.2% · 153
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 106
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 52
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Suleiman
Suleiman 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
#14,965
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,976
+800 bearers (+68.0%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 5,906 places
2020
#10,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,919
+943 bearers (+47.7%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Up 4,476 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,871 | 1,176 | 0.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,965 | 1,976 | 0.67 | +800 bearers (+68.0%) | Up 5,906 places |
| 2020 | #10,489 | 2,919 | 0.98 | +943 bearers (+47.7%) | Up 4,476 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 Suleiman 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 | #14,965 | #10,489 | 29.9% |
| Count | 1,976 | 2,919 | 47.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.67 | 0.98 | 45.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Suleiman bearers went from 1,976 to 2,919 (+47.7% change). The surname moved up 4,476 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,965 to #10,489.
FAQ
Suleiman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Suleiman?
Name Census estimates that about 3,347 living Americans carry the surname Suleiman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 102,406 residents.
How common is Suleiman?
Suleiman ranks #10,489 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.98 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 2,919 people with the surname Suleiman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,347), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.98 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.98 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 Suleiman.
Has Suleiman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Suleiman went from 1,976 recorded bearers to 2,919. That is an increase of 943 (+47.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,965 to #10,489.
What does the Census say about the background of Suleiman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Suleiman, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.0%. The next largest groups are Black (21.2%) and Two or More Races (5.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Suleiman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.0% (1,984 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Suleiman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.0%), Black (21.2%), Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Suleiman (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 Suleiman mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "man of peace" or "peaceful." 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 Suleiman (0.98 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 Suleiman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.