Explore the Family Name Saad

The meaning of Saad

Arabic and Jewish (from Syria): from a personal name based on Arabic saʿd ‘good fortune, good luck, success’, ultimately derived from the same root (s-ʿ-d ‘happy, fortunate’) as the names Massad, Masud, and Said 2. Among Arabs, Saʿd is often used to form names in combination with other words, for example Saʿd Allāh or Saʿdullāh ‘joy of Allah’, an epithet of the prophet Muhammad. Arabic bearers of the surname Saad are both Muslims and Christians. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohamed, Ali, Hussein, Maher, Mohamad, Nabil, Samir, Hassan, Mahmoud, Ibrahim, Saad, Adnan.

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

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

The surname Saad has seen a rise in popularity over the past decade. According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, it was ranked 7,318th most popular in 2000 and climbed to 6,253rd in 2010, marking an increase of 14.55%. The number of people bearing this surname also grew significantly during this period, from 4,194 in 2000 to 5,461 in 2010, which is an impressive 30.21% jump. The proportion of individuals with the surname Saad per 100k people similarly increased by 19.35%, from 1.55 in 2000 to 1.85 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#7,318#6,25314.55%
Count4,1945,46130.21%
Proportion per 100k1.551.8519.35%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Saad

The ethnicity distribution amongst those with the surname Saad has shown some shifts between 2000 and 2010. Based on information from the Decennial U.S. Census, there was a notable increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as White, from 77.01% in 2000 to 83.32% in 2010. During the same period, there was also a slight uptick in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Black, with increases of 5.25%, 6.10%, and 31.96% respectively. However, there was a significant decrease (-64.69%) in those identifying as belonging to Two or more races, and a slight decline in the American Indian and Alaskan Native group by -8.33%.

20002010Change
White77.01%83.32%8.19%
Hispanic5.25%5.57%6.1%
Two or More Races11.61%4.1%-64.69%
Asian/Pacific Islander3.81%4.01%5.25%
Black2.19%2.89%31.96%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.12%0.11%-8.33%

Saad ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Saad is Levantine, which comprises 31.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Egyptian (11.5%) and British & Irish (11.4%). Additional ancestries include Coptic Egyptian, French & German, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Peninsular Arab.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Levantine31.8%
Egyptian11.5%
British & Irish11.4%
Other45.3%
Saad

Possible origins of the surname Saad

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Saad have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Lebanon, and Syria.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Beirut Governorate, Lebanon40.60%
Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon40.60%
Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon40.60%
South Governorate, Lebanon40.00%
North Governorate, Lebanon38.10%

What Saad haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Saad is E-L677, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-L677 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include J-CTS5368 and J-L26, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Khalil, Aziz, Ibrahim, Mansour, Haddad, Khoury, Youssef, Hassan, Abraham, Salem.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Saad surname are: H1, K1a, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

saadPaternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to trans-Mediterranean migrants

Some of the early members of E-L677 completed a large, trans-Mediterranean migration directly from Africa as early as 11,000 years ago. This large migration is probably why haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 is fairly common among people from both northern Africa and the Mediterranean region. During a more recent migration, haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 probably spread from northern Africa to eastern Africa along the Nile River. The migrations of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b2 through Africa and Europe have resulted in its present-day widespread distribution throughout northern and eastern Africa, western Asia, and the Mediterranean.

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Saad have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Saad

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Saad" Surname 50.0%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Saad

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Saad" Surname 34.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Saad

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Saad" Surname 26.8%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Saad

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Saad" Surname 11.5%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Saad?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Saad are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Levantine 63.4%

23andMe Users 57.2%