2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Ihsan
An Arabic surname meaning "kindness" or "good deed".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 242 Americans carry the last name Ihsan. That puts it at #93,282 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,416,340 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ihsan 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 Ihsan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
242
1 in 1,416,340
Census rank
#93,282
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
211
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 211 bearers of the surname Ihsan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 93282nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ihsan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 67.8%. The next largest groups are White (21.8%) and Two or More Races (6.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ihsan
The surname IHSAN is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "ihsan" which means "perfection" or "excellence" in the Arabic language. This name is believed to have originated in the Middle East region, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula, during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname IHSAN can be found in historical documents from the 9th century, when it was mentioned as a family name in the city of Baghdad, which was then the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. During this time, the name was likely associated with individuals or families who were known for their virtuous conduct, exemplary behavior, or outstanding achievements.
In the 11th century, the name IHSAN appears in several manuscripts and records from the Seljuk Empire, which ruled over a vast territory spanning parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. These records suggest that the surname was relatively widespread among the ruling elite and scholarly circles during that era.
Throughout the centuries, the surname IHSAN has been carried by numerous notable figures across various fields. One such individual was Ibn Ihsan al-Baghdadi, a renowned Islamic scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century. He was renowned for his contributions to Arabic literature and his expertise in various disciplines, including theology, jurisprudence, and linguistics.
Another prominent bearer of the surname IHSAN was Ihsan ibn Thabit, a celebrated Arabian mathematician and astronomer from the 9th century. His work on trigonometry and astronomical calculations significantly influenced the development of these fields in the Islamic world.
In the 14th century, Ihsan al-Nuri, a prominent Sufi mystic and spiritual leader, carried the surname IHSAN. He was known for his wisdom, teachings, and the establishment of a prominent Sufi order that attracted followers from various parts of the Middle East.
During the Ottoman Empire, the surname IHSAN was associated with several influential families and individuals. One notable example is Ihsan Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and military commander who lived in the 18th century. He played a crucial role in the administration and defense of the empire during his tenure.
The surname IHSAN has also been carried by modern figures, such as Ihsan Abdel Quddous, an Egyptian novelist and journalist who lived from 1919 to 1990. He was widely acclaimed for his literary works, which explored social and political themes in Egypt and the Arab world.
While the surname IHSAN has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Arabic language and the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ihsan
Among Census respondents with the surname Ihsan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 67.8%. The next largest groups are White (21.8%) and Two or More Races (6.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Ihsan 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 Ihsan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander67.8% · 143
- White21.8% · 46
- Two or more races6.6% · 14
- Black or African American2.8% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ihsan
Ihsan 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
#93,282
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 211
+109 bearers (+106.9%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 65,150 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #93,282 | 211 | 0.07 | +109 bearers (+106.9%) | Up 65,150 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 Ihsan 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 | #158,432 | #93,282 | 41.1% |
| Count | 102 | 211 | 106.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.07 | 135.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ihsan bearers went from 102 to 211 (+106.9% change). The surname moved up 65,150 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #93,282.
FAQ
Ihsan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ihsan?
Name Census estimates that about 242 living Americans carry the surname Ihsan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,416,340 residents.
How common is Ihsan?
Ihsan ranks #93,282 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 211 people with the surname Ihsan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (242), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Ihsan.
Has Ihsan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ihsan went from 102 recorded bearers to 211. That is an increase of 109 (+106.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #93,282.
What does the Census say about the background of Ihsan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ihsan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 67.8%. The next largest groups are White (21.8%) and Two or More Races (6.6%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ihsan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.8% (143 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ihsan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (67.8%), White (21.8%), Two or More Races (6.6%). 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 Ihsan (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 Ihsan mean?
An Arabic surname meaning "kindness" or "good deed". 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 Ihsan (0.07 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 Ihsan?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Ihsan, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.