Explore the Family Name Faisal

The meaning of Faisal

Muslim: from the Arabic personal name Faiṣal ‘arbitrator’, from the root f-ṣ-l ‘to separate’ or ‘to split’.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Faisal has grown significantly more popular in recent years. In 2000, Faisal was ranked as the 72,466th most common surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had risen to the 29,918th spot—a jump of nearly 59 percent. The total number of people bearing the Faisal surname also increased from 250 in 2000 to 785 just a decade later, marking an impressive 214 percent rise. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with the Faisal surname per 100,000 U.S. residents expanded from 0.09 in 2000 to 0.27 in 2010, representing a 200 percent growth over this period.

20002010Change
Rank#72,466#29,91858.71%
Count250785214%
Proportion per 100k0.090.27200%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Faisal

Turning to the ethnicity of those who bear the surname Faisal, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that a majority identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, with this group growing from 60.4 percent in 2000 to 71.46 percent in 2010. This marked an 18.31 percent increase over the decade. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals with this surname identifying as White dropped dramatically from 24.4 percent to 13.63 percent, reflecting a decline of 44.14 percent. Similarly, those identifying as having two or more ethnic identities decreased from 9.2 percent to 5.61 percent—a drop of 39.02 percent. Interestingly, the number of Black individuals with the Faisal surname rose from 2 percent to 4.97 percent, a substantial 148.5 percent increase. The data did not include any individuals identifying as Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander60.4%71.46%18.31%
White24.4%13.63%-44.14%
Two or More Races9.2%5.61%-39.02%
Black2%4.97%148.5%
Hispanic4%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%