Explore the Family Name Nawaz

The meaning of Nawaz

Muslim (mainly Pakistan, also Bangladesh and India): from a personal name based on Persian nawāz ‘cherishing’. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohammad, Muhammad, Shahid, Ahmad, Ahmed, Mian, Mohamed, Mohammed, Nadeem, Zafar, Abdul, Ahamed.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Nawaz has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the rank of the surname was 31,202 and by 2010 it had climbed to 21,599, a noteworthy growth of about 30.78 percent. The count, or number of people with the surname, also saw a substantial increase, growing by 71.83 percent from 703 in 2000 to 1,208 in 2010. This indicates that more individuals have adopted or been given this surname over the decade. The proportion per 100,000 people also rose, indicating an increased prevalence of the Nawaz surname in the population.

20002010Change
Rank#31,202#21,59930.78%
Count7031,20871.83%
Proportion per 100k0.260.4157.69%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nawaz

Turning to the ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of those with the surname Nawaz identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, increasing from 75.39 percent in 2000 to 87.91 percent in 2010. This represents a rise of 16.61 percent. Those identifying as two or more races decreased drastically from 13.51 percent to 4.55 percent, marking a reduction of 66.32 percent. There were also decreases in the percentages of those identifying as White and Hispanic, falling by 31.76 percent and 29.15 percent respectively. Notably, there were no instances of individuals with the Nawaz surname identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander75.39%87.91%16.61%
White8.25%5.63%-31.76%
Two or More Races13.51%4.55%-66.32%
Hispanic1.99%1.41%-29.15%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%