Explore the Family Name Jahan

The meaning of Jahan

1. Muslim (mainly the Indian subcontinent, also Iran): from a personal name based on Persian jahān ‘world’. Compare Jehan 2. 2. French: variant of Jehan 1. History: Shah Jahan (1592–1666; reigned 1628–58) was one of the greatest Mughal emperors, who presided over a golden age in art and architecture. He was an abiding influence on culture and society (including personal names) in the Indian subcontinent.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Jahan has seen significant growth. In 2000, Jahan ranked 35,288 in popularity and grew to rank 19,489 by 2010, demonstrating a considerable increase of approximately 44.77%. The count of individuals carrying the surname also increased dramatically from 604 in 2000 to 1,386 in 2010, marking a rise of about 129.47%. The proportion of people named Jahan per 100,000 also saw an impressive surge from 0.22 in 2000 to 0.47 in 2010, indicating a change of around 113.64%.

20002010Change
Rank#35,288#19,48944.77%
Count6041,386129.47%
Proportion per 100k0.220.47113.64%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jahan

When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Jahan, it is predominantly linked to those of Asian/Pacific Islander descent. Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, this association increased from 76.49% in 2000 to 88.60% in 2010, marking a change of approximately 15.83%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races experienced a significant decrease from 10.60% in 2000 to 3.46% in 2010. The percentage of people with the surname Jahan who identify as White also dropped from 11.26% in 2000 to 6.71% in 2010. There were no recorded Hispanic or Black individuals with the surname in either year, while a small emergence of American Indian and Alaskan Native identity was noted in 2010 at 0.72%.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander76.49%88.6%15.83%
White11.26%6.71%-40.41%
Two or More Races10.6%3.46%-67.36%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0.72%0%
Hispanic0%0%0%
Black0.99%0%0%