2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Agni
A surname of Hindi origin referring to the Hindu god of fire, often associated with purity and wisdom.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Agni. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Agni surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Agni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Agni, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (10.3%) and Hispanic (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Agni
The surname AGNI originated in India, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "agni," which means "fire" or "the god of fire." This name is closely associated with the ancient Hindu deity Agni, who was revered as the divine personification of fire and the messenger between gods and humans.
During the medieval period, the AGNI surname was predominantly found in the northern regions of India, particularly in areas like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Historical records from this era suggest that the name was often bestowed upon individuals who were associated with professions or lineages related to fire, such as blacksmiths, metalworkers, or those involved in religious ceremonies involving sacred fires.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the AGNI surname was Agni Purana, a revered scholar and writer from the 8th century AD. He authored the eponymous Agni Purana, a significant Hindu scripture that delves into various aspects of Dharma, cosmology, and mythology.
Another notable figure was Agni Sharma (1550-1623), a renowned astrologer and mathematician from the Mughal Empire. His contributions to the field of astrology and celestial calculations were highly influential during his time.
In the 17th century, Agni Devi (1608-1674) was a prominent Hindu mystic and spiritual leader who played a crucial role in reviving the Bhakti movement in northern India. Her teachings and writings continue to inspire devotees to this day.
During the 19th century, Agni Nath Pandit (1815-1890) was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and linguist. He made significant contributions to the preservation and study of ancient Sanskrit texts, and his work was widely recognized by academic institutions across India.
Another notable figure was Agni Kant Jha (1866-1934), a distinguished jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Allahabad High Court. His interpretations and analysis of Indian legal systems were highly influential during the British Raj period.
While the AGNI surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its historical significance and connections to ancient Hindu mythology and cultural traditions remain deeply rooted in its Indian heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Agni
Among Census respondents with the surname Agni, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (10.3%) and Hispanic (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Agni bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Agni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander81.3% · 87
- White10.3% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Agni
Agni appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-6 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,438 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 5,438 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Agni surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #146,201 | #151,639 | -3.7% |
| Count | 113 | 107 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Agni bearers went from 113 to 107 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 5,438 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #151,639.
FAQ
Agni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Agni?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Agni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Agni?
Agni ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Agni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Agni.
Has Agni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Agni went from 113 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Agni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Agni, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (10.3%) and Hispanic (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Agni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.3% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Agni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (81.3%), White (10.3%), Hispanic (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Agni (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Agni mean?
A surname of Hindi origin referring to the Hindu god of fire, often associated with purity and wisdom. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Agni (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Agni?
Want to know how many people have the last name Agni? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.