Explore the Family Name Nawab

The meaning of Nawab

Muslim (Indian subcontinent): from a personal name or honorific based on the title nawab, formerly denoting Muslim deputy governors of provinces or districts in the Mogul Empire, from Arabic nuwwāb, plural of nāʾib‎ ‘representative, deputy’.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Nawab" has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Nawab ranked 99,214 in popularity, but by 2010, it had jumped to 78,821, a rise of over 20 percent. The count, or the number of individuals with this surname, also grew from 169 in 2000 to 242 in 2010, marking an increase of more than 43 percent. When it comes to the proportion per 100,000 people, the surname rose from 0.06 in 2000 to 0.08 in 2010, representing a growth rate of 33.33 percent.

20002010Change
Rank#99,214#78,82120.55%
Count16924243.2%
Proportion per 100k0.060.0833.33%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nawab

In terms of ethnicity, the Census data shows that the largest fraction of individuals with the surname Nawab identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010. This group increased from 56.21 percent in 2000 to 62.81 percent in 2010, showing an upsurge of 11.74 percent. Those identifying as having two or more ethnicities decreased from 14.20 percent to 10.33 percent. The percentage of individuals identifying as white declined by more than 15 percent, from 24.85 percent in 2000 to 21.07 percent in 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic, though smaller in comparison, experienced significant growth, from 3.55 percent in 2000 to 5.37 percent in 2010, a change of over 51 percent. The census indicated no individuals with the surname Nawab who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander56.21%62.81%11.74%
White24.85%21.07%-15.21%
Two or More Races14.2%10.33%-27.25%
Hispanic3.55%5.37%51.27%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%