2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vahid
Persian surname meaning 'the only one' or 'unique'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Vahid. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vahid 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.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Vahid in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vahid, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.5%) and Hispanic (6.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vahid
The surname VAHID is believed to have originated in Iran, with its roots dating back to the Persian language. The name likely derives from the Persian word "vahid," which means "unique" or "singular." It is a name that reflects the concept of oneness and individuality.
In the early centuries of the Islamic era, the name VAHID was primarily found among Persian scholars and intellectuals who embraced the philosophical and spiritual teachings of Islam. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of the renowned Sufi poet and mystic, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-1273), who made references to individuals bearing the name VAHID.
During the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), the name VAHID gained prominence in Iran, particularly among families with ties to the religious and scholarly circles of the time. Some notable figures from this period include Vahid al-Din Mahmud Shabistari (1285-1320), a renowned Persian poet and Sufi master, and Vahid Qazvini (1490-1551), a celebrated Iranian historian and geographer.
As the centuries passed, the name VAHID continued to be popular among Persian families. In the 19th century, one of the most influential figures with this surname was Vahid al-Mulk (1838-1910), a renowned Iranian statesman and prime minister who played a significant role in the modernization of Iran during the Qajar Dynasty.
Another notable individual was Vahid Dastgerdi (1886-1949), an Iranian politician and writer who served as the prime minister of Iran in the early 20th century. He was known for his efforts to promote democracy and constitutional reforms in the country.
In the realm of literature, Vahid Nuri (1898-1979) was a celebrated Iranian poet and scholar who made significant contributions to the development of modern Persian poetry. His works explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, earning him widespread recognition and admiration.
It is important to note that while the surname VAHID has its roots in Iran, it has also been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds and nationalities throughout history, particularly those influenced by Persian culture and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vahid
Among Census respondents with the surname Vahid, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.5%) and Hispanic (6.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Vahid 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 Vahid surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.1% · 96
- Two or more races8.5% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vahid
Vahid 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-4 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,669 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+8 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.5%) | Down 13,669 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.3%) | Up 6,182 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 Vahid 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 | #150,452 | #144,270 | 4.1% |
| Count | 109 | 117 | 7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vahid bearers went from 109 to 117 (+7.3% change). The surname moved up 6,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #144,270.
FAQ
Vahid surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vahid?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Vahid. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Vahid?
Vahid ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Vahid. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Vahid.
Has Vahid become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vahid went from 109 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 8 (+7.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Vahid?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vahid, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.5%) and Hispanic (6.8%). 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 Vahid in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.1% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vahid appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.1%), Two or More Races (8.5%), Hispanic (6.8%). 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 Vahid (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 Vahid mean?
Persian surname meaning 'the only one' or 'unique'. 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 Vahid (0.04 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 Vahid?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.