2000
#64,934
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 286
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.11
Very Rare Last name
Naseem
An Arabic surname referring to a gentle breeze or morning wind.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 768 Americans carry the last name Naseem. That puts it at #36,002 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 446,295 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Naseem 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 Naseem with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
768
1 in 446,295
Census rank
#36,002
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
670
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 670 bearers of the surname Naseem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36002nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Naseem, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.6%. The next largest groups are White (7.8%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Naseem
The surname Naseem has its roots in the Arabic language and is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in regions where Arabic is spoken. The name is derived from the Arabic word "nasim," which translates to "gentle breeze" or "zephyr."
Naseem is a relatively common surname found in countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. The name's popularity can be attributed to the Islamic tradition of adopting meaningful names that reflect virtues or natural elements.
Historical records suggest that the surname Naseem can be traced back to the medieval period, when it was commonly used among Arab populations. It is possible that the name was introduced to the Indian subcontinent during the Islamic conquests and subsequent settlements in the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Naseem appears in a 14th-century manuscript from the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over parts of the Middle East and North Africa. The manuscript mentions a scholar named Ahmad ibn Naseem, who lived during the reign of Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad (1293-1341).
In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Naseem gained prominence during the Mughal Empire (1526-1857). Notable individuals with this surname include Mirza Naseem, a 17th-century poet and courtier in the court of Emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666).
Another prominent figure was Naseem Bano Begum (1916-2008), an Indian actress and dancer who achieved fame in the early 20th century. She was known for her performances in Bollywood films and her contribution to the preservation of classical Indian dance forms.
In the realm of literature, Naseem Hijazi (1914-1996) was a renowned Pakistani writer and poet. He was celebrated for his works that explored themes of love, spirituality, and human emotions.
Naseem Sahar (born 1944) is a prominent Pakistani journalist and author who has written extensively on social and political issues. Her works have shed light on the struggles and achievements of women in Pakistan.
Naseem Hamed (born 1974) is a British former professional boxer of Yemeni descent. He held multiple featherweight world championships and was known for his flamboyant style and showmanship in the ring.
Overall, the surname Naseem has a rich history spanning centuries and cultures, reflecting its Arabic origins and the spread of Islamic civilization across various regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Naseem
Among Census respondents with the surname Naseem, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.6%. The next largest groups are White (7.8%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Naseem 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 Naseem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander84.6% · 567
- White7.8% · 52
- Two or more races4.6% · 31
- Black or African American2.2% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Naseem
Naseem 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
#47,006
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 452
+166 bearers (+58.0%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 17,928 places
2020
#36,002
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 670
+218 bearers (+48.2%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Up 11,004 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #64,934 | 286 | 0.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #47,006 | 452 | 0.15 | +166 bearers (+58.0%) | Up 17,928 places |
| 2020 | #36,002 | 670 | 0.22 | +218 bearers (+48.2%) | Up 11,004 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 Naseem 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 | #47,006 | #36,002 | 23.4% |
| Count | 452 | 670 | 48.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.22 | 49.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Naseem bearers went from 452 to 670 (+48.2% change). The surname moved up 11,004 positions in the national ranking, going from #47,006 to #36,002.
FAQ
Naseem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Naseem?
Name Census estimates that about 768 living Americans carry the surname Naseem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 446,295 residents.
How common is Naseem?
Naseem ranks #36,002 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 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 670 people with the surname Naseem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (768), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 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 Naseem.
Has Naseem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Naseem went from 452 recorded bearers to 670. That is an increase of 218 (+48.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #47,006 to #36,002.
What does the Census say about the background of Naseem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Naseem, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.6%. The next largest groups are White (7.8%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Naseem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.6% (567 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Naseem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (84.6%), White (7.8%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Naseem (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 Naseem mean?
An Arabic surname referring to a gentle breeze or morning wind. 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 Naseem (0.22 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 Naseem?
See how many people have the last name Naseem on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.