Explore the Family Name Farooq

The meaning of Farooq

Muslim (mainly Pakistan): from a personal name based on Arabic fārūq ‘distinguisher’, i.e. ‘one who distinguishes truth from falsehood’. Al-Fārūq was a byname of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, the second ‘rightly guided’ caliph (ruled 634–44), renowned for his stern and uncompromising execution of justice. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammad, Tariq, Arshad, Khalid, Omar, Ghulam, Sheikh, Umar, Zafar, Abid.

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

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

The surname Farooq has noticeably increased in popularity over the years, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In the year 2000, the surname Farooq was ranked 24,350th in terms of usage and by 2010, it had risen significantly to a rank of 16,295, marking a change of 33.08%. In terms of count, the number of people bearing the surname Farooq also saw a significant increase, with 964 instances recorded in 2000 jumping to 1,770 in 2010 - an impressive increase of 83.61%. The proportion of this surname per 100k people also rose from 0.36 to 0.6 during this period, indicating a growth rate of 66.67%.

20002010Change
Rank#24,350#16,29533.08%
Count9641,77083.61%
Proportion per 100k0.360.666.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Farooq

On the subject of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that the majority of individuals with the surname Farooq identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. The percentage of individuals identifying as such increased from 75.93% in 2000 to 86.16% in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races decreased from 11.93% to 4.24%, while those identifying as White decreased from 5.81% to 4.46%. Individuals identifying as Hispanic also saw a decrease, reducing from 3.11% to 1.98%. Similarly, those identifying as Black dropped slightly from 3.22% to 2.82%. Lastly, there was a minor increase in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, from 0.00% in 2000 to 0.34% in 2010.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander75.93%86.16%13.47%
White5.81%4.46%-23.24%
Two or More Races11.93%4.24%-64.46%
Black3.22%2.82%-12.42%
Hispanic3.11%1.98%-36.33%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0.34%0%