2000
#15,369
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,753
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.65
Rare Last name
Agrawal
A toponymic surname referring to someone from Agroha, a historical region in northern India.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,315 Americans carry the last name Agrawal. That puts it at #5,275 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 46,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Agrawal 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Agrawal with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.3K
1 in 46,856
Census rank
#5,275
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,379 bearers of the surname Agrawal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5275th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Agrawal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Agrawal
The surname Agrawal is of Indian origin, primarily concentrated in the northern and central regions of the subcontinent. It traces its roots back to the ancient Sanskrit language, derived from the word "Agravaala," which refers to a person from the region known as Agravaal or Agroha, located in the present-day state of Haryana.
The Agrawal community has a rich history, with its members traditionally engaged in agricultural activities, trade, and commerce. The name is also associated with the Vaishya caste, one of the four primary social classes in the Hindu tradition, known for their involvement in business and entrepreneurial ventures.
Historical records suggest that the Agrawal name appeared in various ancient texts and manuscripts, including the Ain-i-Akbari, a detailed documentation of the Mughal Empire compiled during the reign of Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. The name is mentioned in connection with influential merchants and traders who played a significant role in the economic prosperity of the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Agrawal surname can be found in the writings of the 14th-century poet and mystic, Kabir, who was born into an Agrawal family in the town of Varanasi. His profound spiritual teachings and literary works have had a lasting impact on Indian culture and philosophy.
Another notable figure bearing the Agrawal name was Raja Todar Mal Agrawal, a celebrated finance minister and advisor to the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He is credited with implementing significant economic reforms and establishing an efficient revenue collection system during the 16th century.
The Agrawal community has also produced prominent individuals in various fields, such as Shanti Swarup Agrawal, a renowned educationist and social reformer who founded the Agrawal Samaj in the early 20th century, promoting education and social welfare among the community.
In the realm of literature, Vijaydan Detha Agrawal, a 20th-century writer, is celebrated for his contributions to the Hindi language and folklore. His works, including the iconic "Batan Ri Phulwari," have preserved the rich cultural heritage of the Agrawal community.
Lastly, Rajendra Prasad Agrawal, born in 1884, served as the first President of independent India, holding office from 1950 to 1962. His unwavering commitment to democracy and his principled leadership during the formative years of the nation have earned him a revered place in Indian history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Agrawal
Among Census respondents with the surname Agrawal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Agrawal 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 Agrawal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.3% · 6,013
- White2.7% · 173
- Two or more races2.3% · 148
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 19
- Black or African American0.3% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Agrawal
Agrawal appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,701
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,344
+1,591 bearers (+90.8%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Up 5,668 places
2020
#5,275
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,379
+3,035 bearers (+90.8%)
Per 100,000 2.13
Rank movement Up 4,426 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,369 | 1,753 | 0.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,701 | 3,344 | 1.13 | +1,591 bearers (+90.8%) | Up 5,668 places |
| 2020 | #5,275 | 6,379 | 2.13 | +3,035 bearers (+90.8%) | Up 4,426 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 Agrawal 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 | #9,701 | #5,275 | 45.6% |
| Count | 3,344 | 6,379 | 90.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.13 | 2.13 | 88.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Agrawal bearers went from 3,344 to 6,379 (+90.8% change). The surname moved up 4,426 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,701 to #5,275.
FAQ
Agrawal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Agrawal?
Name Census estimates that about 7,315 living Americans carry the surname Agrawal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 46,856 residents.
How common is Agrawal?
Agrawal ranks #5,275 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,379 people with the surname Agrawal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,315), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Agrawal.
Has Agrawal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Agrawal went from 3,344 recorded bearers to 6,379. That is an increase of 3,035 (+90.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,701 to #5,275.
What does the Census say about the background of Agrawal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Agrawal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Agrawal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (6,013 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Agrawal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.3%), White (2.7%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Agrawal (2000, 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 Agrawal mean?
A toponymic surname referring to someone from Agroha, a historical region in northern India. 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 Agrawal (2.13 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 Agrawal?
You can see how common the surname Agrawal is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.