Explore the Family Name Shahbaz

The meaning of Shahbaz

Pakistani, Afghanistani, and Iranian: from the Persian personal name Shāhbāz, from shāhbāz, a Persian word composed of shāh ‘king, emperor’ and bāz ‘goshawk’, denoting ‘northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)’, a prized falconry bird. The literal meaning of the name is thus ‘royal goshawk’, but it is also interpreted as ‘brave’. Compare Shabazz.

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

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

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Shahbaz has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Shahbaz was ranked 61,207th in terms of commonality. However, by 2010, it had climbed to the 43,732nd spot, marking a change of 28.55 percent. Additionally, the count of individuals with the surname Shahbaz also saw a substantial increase from 307 in 2000 to 493 in 2010, indicating a rise of 60.59 percent. The proportion per 100,000 people also grew from 0.11 to 0.17, a growth rate of 54.55 percent.

20002010Change
Rank#61,207#43,73228.55%
Count30749360.59%
Proportion per 100k0.110.1754.55%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shahbaz

Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Shahbaz, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts over the 2000 to 2010 period. The percentage of people with this surname who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander grew from 21.50 percent in 2000 to 37.93 percent in 2010, a notable increase of 76.42 percent. Interestingly, those identifying as White decreased from 58.63 percent to 47.67 percent over the same time frame. People identifying as Hispanic also rose from 3.91 percent to 6.69 percent. The count for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native was suppressed in 2000 but by 2010, 1.62 percent identified as Black while the count for American Indian and Alaskan Native remained at zero.

20002010Change
White58.63%47.67%-18.69%
Asian/Pacific Islander21.5%37.93%76.42%
Hispanic3.91%6.69%71.1%
Two or More Races13.03%6.09%-53.26%
Black0%1.62%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%