Explore the Family Name Imam
The meaning of Imam
Muslim: status name from Arabic imām, literally ‘one who leads the way’, an honorific title for one who leads prayers in a mosque, also applied to the founders of Islamic law schools. Among Shiite Muslims the title imām is applied to the spiritual leaders descended from Fatima, daughter of the prophet Muhammad, and her husband Ali, the fourth and last of the ‘rightly guided’ caliphs (see Ali). Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Syed, Hussain, Mohammad, Ali, Ashraf, Hasan, Ibrahim, Khaled, Khalifa, Lubna, Mohamed, Mohmed.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Imam in the United States?
The surname Imam's popularity significantly increased from 2000 to 2010 according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it ranked 43,232 in popularity and by 2010, it had jumped up to rank 29,041, a shift of 32.83%. Similarly, the count (the number of people with the last name) grew from 471 in 2000 to 817 in 2010, an increase of 73.46%. The proportion of people per 100,000 with the surname also rose from 0.17 to 0.28 during this period, a leap of 64.71%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #43,232 | #29,041 | 32.83% |
| Count | 471 | 817 | 73.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.28 | 64.71% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Imam
Ethnic identity associated with the surname Imam also shifted from 2000 to 2010, as shown by the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, 63.06% of individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, and by 2010, this figure had risen to 70.99%, indicating a change of 12.58%. However, the percentage identifying as White decreased from 21.02% to 13.22%, a decrease of 37.11%. Those identifying as Hispanic slightly increased from 1.70% to 2.08%, a change of 22.35%. The most significant change was seen in those who identify as Black, which rose from 5.10% to 9.30%, a substantial increase of 82.35%. Interestingly, in 2010, there was also a small percentage (0.61%) that identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native, where no such identification was recorded in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 63.06% | 70.99% | 12.58% |
| White | 21.02% | 13.22% | -37.11% |
| Black | 5.1% | 9.3% | 82.35% |
| Two or More Races | 9.13% | 3.79% | -58.49% |
| Hispanic | 1.7% | 2.08% | 22.35% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.61% | 0% |