2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Yasser
An Arabic surname meaning "wealthy" or "prosperous."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Yasser. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yasser 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Yasser in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yasser, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (20.7%) and Hispanic (7.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yasser
The surname Yasser is believed to have its origins in the Middle East, specifically within the Arabic-speaking regions. The name is derived from the Arabic root word "yasira," which means "to be easy" or "to be gentle." The surname can be traced back to the early Islamic period around the 7th and 8th centuries, a time when many Arabic names were standardized and began to be documented in historical records.
Yasser originally appeared in the regions encompassing modern-day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and other parts of the Arabian Peninsula. The name often signified a person who is gentle in nature or easy-going, reflecting a desirable characteristic in the tribal and social structures of the time. Similar spellings and variations such as Yasir or Yassir exist, though Yasser has remained a distinct surname throughout the centuries.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Yasser is found in Islamic historical texts. Yasser ibn Amir, father of the famous companion of Prophet Muhammad, Ammar ibn Yasser, lived during the 6th century and was a significant figure in early Islamic history. His family's endurance and faith have been commemorated, and their legacy is frequently acknowledged in Islamic literature.
Another historical figure with the surname Yasser is Yasser al-Harithi, a well-known poet and scholar from the 11th century. His works, which include both poetry and religious treatises, were influential in the cultural and intellectual landscapes of medieval Yemen. His writings were preserved and have been referenced in various historical manuscripts.
During the medieval period, the name Yasser appeared in several records and documents. One notable example is found in the administrative records of the Abbasid Caliphate, where a certain Abu Yasser al-Basri was mentioned as a prominent merchant in the city of Basra in the 9th century. His successful trading ventures contributed significantly to the economic prosperity of the region at the time.
In the 16th century, Yasser ibn Saeed, a prominent military commander under the Ottoman Empire, was known for his strategic prowess and leadership in several key battles. His contributions to the expansion and consolidation of the empire were well-documented in Ottoman military chronicles, highlighting the prominence of the Yasser surname during this period.
Another figure worth mentioning is Mustapha Yasser, an influential 18th-century Moroccan diplomat who played a critical role in negotiations between the Sultanate of Morocco and various European powers. His diplomatic skills were instrumental in securing favorable treaties and maintaining peace in the region, earning him a significant place in Moroccan history.
The longevity and versatility of the Yasser surname are evident in its diverse historical references and notable figures. Each of these individuals, through their contributions and legacies, has helped to shape the historical narrative associated with the name Yasser.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yasser
Among Census respondents with the surname Yasser, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (20.7%) and Hispanic (7.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Yasser 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 Yasser surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.3% · 79
- Asian and Pacific Islander20.7% · 25
- Hispanic or Latino7.4% · 9
- Black or African American6.6% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yasser
Yasser appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+11 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,086 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 8,086 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 Yasser 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 | #149,395 | #141,309 | 5.4% |
| Count | 110 | 121 | 10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yasser bearers went from 110 to 121 (+10.0% change). The surname moved up 8,086 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #141,309.
FAQ
Yasser surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yasser?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Yasser. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Yasser?
Yasser ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Yasser. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Yasser.
Has Yasser become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yasser went from 110 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 11 (+10.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Yasser?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yasser, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (20.7%) and Hispanic (7.4%). 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 Yasser in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.3% (79 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yasser appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (20.7%), Hispanic (7.4%). 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 Yasser (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 Yasser mean?
An Arabic surname meaning "wealthy" or "prosperous." 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 Yasser (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 common is the surname Yasser?
You can see how many people have the surname Yasser on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.