Explore the Family Name Afzal

The meaning of Afzal

Muslim (mainly Pakistan): from afzal, a Persian and Urdu spelling of Arabic afḍal, literally ‘better’ or ‘best’, used as an epithet for a learned man. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohammad, Muhammad, Mohammed, Syed, Ali, Khadija, Khalid, Mahammad, Naeem, Tariq, Abida, Adnan.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Afzal in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Afzal' witnessed a significant upswing between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, this last name ranked 25,221st in prevalence within the United States, but by 2010 it had risen to the 17,319th position—a leap of 31.33%. The count of individuals bearing this surname also grew from 922 to 1,634 through the decade, denoting a substantial increase of 77.22%. Moreover, for every 100,000 people in the U.S., the proportion with the surname 'Afzal' rose from 0.34 to 0.55 during the same period, marking an increment of 61.76%.

20002010Change
Rank#25,221#17,31931.33%
Count9221,63477.22%
Proportion per 100k0.340.5561.76%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Afzal

The ethnicity associated with the surname 'Afzal' also underwent some notable changes from 2000 to 2010, as per the data derived from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of individuals with the 'Afzal' surname identified their ethnicity as Asian/Pacific Islander (65.18%). This trend escalated in 2010 when 80.05% of the 'Afzals' aligned themselves with this ethnic identity, showing a rise of 22.81%. Meanwhile, fewer Afzals identified as being of two or more races, White, Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010 than in 2000, with declines ranging from -23.58% (Black) to -60.93% (Two or more races).

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander65.18%80.05%22.81%
White12.36%9.42%-23.79%
Two or More Races16.92%6.61%-60.93%
Black3.69%2.82%-23.58%
Hispanic1.3%0.8%-38.46%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.54%0.31%-42.59%