Explore the Family Name Saraf
The meaning of Saraf
Indian (Gujarat and Mumbai): Vania and Parsi name, from Gujarati səraf ‘money changer’, from Arabic ṣarrāf. There has been some confusion with Arabic ṣarīf ‘noble’, which has also been borrowed into Hindi and other modern Indian languages. Compare Shroff. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Kishore, Rahul, Raj, Shreekant, Alok, Amitabh, Anil, Anupama, Aparna, Arvind, Krishna, Neeraj.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Saraf in the United States?
According to the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Saraf saw significant growth between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 56,246 in terms of surname prevalence, but by 2010, it had risen to a rank of 39,419 – an increase of nearly 30 percent. Likewise, the number of people bearing the name increased from 340 in 2000 to 558 in 2010, representing a rise of 64.12 percent. The proportion of individuals with the surname Saraf per 100,000 people also grew, going from 0.13 to 0.19 across this ten-year period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #56,246 | #39,419 | 29.92% |
| Count | 340 | 558 | 64.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.19 | 46.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Saraf
The data on ethnic identity associated with the surname Saraf, as per the Decennial U.S. Census, reveals interesting shifts during the same time frame. In 2000, approximately 43.53 percent of people with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, which increased to 61.29 percent by 2010. Conversely, the percentage of individuals identifying as White dropped from 49.41 percent in 2000 to 34.77 percent in 2010. There was a similar decrease among those identifying as Hispanic, with the percentage falling from 2.35 to 1.79. The percentage of people with the Saraf surname identifying with two or more races also declined over this period. No individuals bearing the surname Saraf identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 43.53% | 61.29% | 40.8% |
| White | 49.41% | 34.77% | -29.63% |
| Hispanic | 2.35% | 1.79% | -23.83% |
| Two or More Races | 3.82% | 1.61% | -57.85% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |