2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zoghbi
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "from Zugbi", a town in northern Syria.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 158 Americans carry the last name Zoghbi. That puts it at #129,045 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,169,331 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zoghbi 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
158
1 in 2,169,331
Census rank
#129,045
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
138
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 138 bearers of the surname Zoghbi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 129045th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zoghbi, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zoghbi
The surname Zoghbi originates from the Middle East, more specifically from Lebanon and surrounding areas. Tracing its roots back to the Ottoman Empire period, around the 16th to 18th centuries, the name is associated with the Arabic language. The name Zoghbi is derived from the Arabic word "زغبي" (zoghbi), which means "fuzzy" or "curly-haired," likely referring to a characteristic trait of the family or ancestors who first bore the name.
The Lebanese-Brazilian writer Rachel Zoghbi, born in 1913 and died in 2001, is a prominent example of a person with this surname. Her contributions to literature and her role in documenting Lebanese history in Brazil make her a significant figure in the surname's lineage. Her works often explored the heritage and culture of Lebanese expatriates, making her an important historical reference.
In the early 20th century, Michael Zoghbi, born in 1887 in Lebanon, migrated to the United States and became a notable entrepreneur and community leader in New York City. His efforts in aiding Lebanese immigrants and forming cultural organizations highlight the impact of the Zoghbi name in diaspora communities.
Another historical figure, Father Georges Zoghbi, born in 1865 and died in 1943, served as a prominent Maronite priest in Lebanon. His efforts in preserving Maronite Christian traditions and his role in education led to significant advancements in the community. His life's work is documented in various church records and local historical accounts, showcasing the surname's deep ties to religious and educational contributions.
The earliest recorded example of the surname dates back to the 18th century with a manuscript mentioning Salim Zoghbi, a Lebanese merchant based in Beirut. The document, now held in the Lebanese National Archives, provides insight into the trading practices and economic activities of that era, with Salim Zoghbi being a key player in the region's commerce.
In the realm of modern science, Huda Zoghbi, born in 1954, is a distinguished American geneticist of Lebanese descent. Her pioneering research in neurogenetics has led to significant discoveries in Rett syndrome and other neurological disorders. Huda Zoghbi's contributions have been widely recognized, earning her numerous awards and solidifying the Zoghbi name in the annals of scientific history.
The Zoghbi surname has thus a rich heritage rooted in the Middle Eastern region, with significant historical references and contributions across various fields, from literature and religion to commerce and science, spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zoghbi
Among Census respondents with the surname Zoghbi, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Zoghbi 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 Zoghbi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.9% · 113
- Hispanic or Latino13.8% · 19
- Two or more races2.2% · 3
- Black or African American1.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zoghbi
Zoghbi 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
#129,045
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
+29 bearers (+26.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 21,407 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #129,045 | 138 | 0.05 | +29 bearers (+26.6%) | Up 21,407 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 Zoghbi 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 | #129,045 | 14.2% |
| Count | 109 | 138 | 26.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 15.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zoghbi bearers went from 109 to 138 (+26.6% change). The surname moved up 21,407 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #129,045.
FAQ
Zoghbi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zoghbi?
Name Census estimates that about 158 living Americans carry the surname Zoghbi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,169,331 residents.
How common is Zoghbi?
Zoghbi ranks #129,045 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 138 people with the surname Zoghbi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (158), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Zoghbi.
Has Zoghbi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zoghbi went from 109 recorded bearers to 138. That is an increase of 29 (+26.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #129,045.
What does the Census say about the background of Zoghbi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zoghbi, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Zoghbi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.9% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zoghbi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.9%), Hispanic (13.8%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Zoghbi (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 Zoghbi mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "from Zugbi", a town in northern Syria. 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 Zoghbi (0.05 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 Zoghbi?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Zoghbi at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.