Explore the Family Name Isse

The meaning of Isse

Somali: from a Somali Muslim personal name, from Arabic ʿĪsā ‘Jesus’ (see Issa 1). It is also found in Kenya and Djibouti. Compare Issa 2. — Note: Since Somalis traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Isse has significantly grown in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 78,035 but jumped to 38,754 by 2010, marking a growth rate of over 50%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew impressively during this time, from 228 in 2000 to 570 in 2010, indicating an increase of 150%. Furthermore, the proportion of people with the surname Isse per 100,000 rose from 0.08 to 0.19, showing a substantial growth of 137.5%.

20002010Change
Rank#78,035#38,75450.34%
Count228570150%
Proportion per 100k0.080.19137.5%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Isse

When it comes to ethnic identity, the Isse surname has seen significant shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The largest change was seen within the Black community, where the percentage of individuals with the surname Isse grew from 50.44% to 89.30% - a rise of 77.04%. Conversely, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, White, or Hispanic all saw a decrease in the proportion of people with the Isse surname. Notably, there was a sharp decline in the number of individuals of Two or more races with this surname, dropping from 32.89% to just 2.11%. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained at 0.00% for both years.

20002010Change
Black50.44%89.3%77.04%
White7.46%4.39%-41.15%
Hispanic3.95%2.81%-28.86%
Two or More Races32.89%2.11%-93.58%
Asian/Pacific Islander5.26%1.4%-73.38%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%