2000
#20,247
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,223
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.45
Rare Last name
Taha
An Arabic surname derived from the given name Taha, meaning "one who is pure" or "one who is good."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,412 Americans carry the last name Taha. That puts it at #10,300 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 100,456 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Taha 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 Taha with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 100,456
Census rank
#10,300
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,975 bearers of the surname Taha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10300th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Taha, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Black (17.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Taha
The surname Taha has its origins rooted in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "taha," which means "to wander" or "to roam." This surname can be traced back to the regions of the Middle East, particularly the Arabian Peninsula, where nomadic lifestyles were prevalent in ancient times.
One of the earliest documented references to the surname Taha can be found in the historical records of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled a vast territory spanning from Persia to North Africa during the 8th to 13th centuries. These records mention individuals bearing the name Taha, indicating its existence during the golden age of Islamic civilization.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Taha al-Basri, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist, gained prominence for his contributions to the study of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). Born in Basra, Iraq, in 1072, Taha al-Basri left a lasting impact on the intellectual and religious discourse of his time.
Another prominent individual with the surname Taha was Taha Hussein, an Egyptian writer, and literary critic who lived from 1889 to 1973. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern Arabic literature and a pioneer of the Arab Renaissance (Nahda) movement. His works, such as "The Days" and "The Stream of Days," explored themes of social and cultural reform in Egypt and the Arab world.
In the 20th century, Mahmoud Mohamed Taha, a Sudanese religious thinker and leader, gained recognition for his reformist ideas and interpretations of Islamic teachings. Born in 1909, Taha advocated for a renewed understanding of Islam, emphasizing its universal and progressive values. His works, such as "The Second Message of Islam," had a significant impact on Islamic thought and sparked important debates.
Another notable figure with the surname Taha was Ismail Serageldin, an Egyptian writer, and philosopher born in 1944. He served as Vice President of the World Bank and played a crucial role in promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation. Serageldin's works, including "Nurturing Development" and "The Crucible of Life," explored the intersection of development, culture, and ethics.
While the surname Taha has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. The name continues to hold significance and carry a rich historical legacy, serving as a testament to the diverse cultural tapestry that shapes our global community.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Taha
Among Census respondents with the surname Taha, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Black (17.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Taha 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 Taha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.6% · 1,980
- Black or African American17.4% · 518
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.3% · 216
- Two or more races5.7% · 170
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 71
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Taha
Taha 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
#14,749
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,014
+791 bearers (+64.7%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Up 5,498 places
2020
#10,300
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,975
+961 bearers (+47.7%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 4,449 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,247 | 1,223 | 0.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,749 | 2,014 | 0.68 | +791 bearers (+64.7%) | Up 5,498 places |
| 2020 | #10,300 | 2,975 | 1.00 | +961 bearers (+47.7%) | Up 4,449 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 Taha 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 | #14,749 | #10,300 | 30.2% |
| Count | 2,014 | 2,975 | 47.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 1.00 | 46.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Taha bearers went from 2,014 to 2,975 (+47.7% change). The surname moved up 4,449 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,749 to #10,300.
FAQ
Taha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Taha?
Name Census estimates that about 3,412 living Americans carry the surname Taha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 100,456 residents.
How common is Taha?
Taha ranks #10,300 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.00 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 2,975 people with the surname Taha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,412), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.00 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 Taha.
Has Taha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Taha went from 2,014 recorded bearers to 2,975. That is an increase of 961 (+47.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,749 to #10,300.
What does the Census say about the background of Taha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Taha, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Black (17.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%). 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 Taha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.6% (1,980 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Taha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (66.6%), Black (17.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.3%). 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 Taha (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 Taha mean?
An Arabic surname derived from the given name Taha, meaning "one who is pure" or "one who is good." 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 Taha (1.00 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 have the surname Taha?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.