2000
#107,565
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Aneja
A surname of Indian origin meaning an unripened, premature, or immature one.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 401 Americans carry the last name Aneja. That puts it at #61,890 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 854,749 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aneja 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
401
1 in 854,749
Census rank
#61,890
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
350
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 350 bearers of the surname Aneja in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 61890th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aneja, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aneja
The surname Aneja has its origins in India, specifically in the northern Indian state of Punjab. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.
One theory suggests that the name Aneja is derived from the Sanskrit word "anaj," which means "grain" or "food." This could indicate that the earliest bearers of this surname were associated with the cultivation or distribution of grains or were involved in the agricultural sector.
Another possible explanation traces the name's roots to the term "Anaj," which was a title or designation given to individuals who held positions of authority or leadership in certain regions of Punjab. This could suggest that the Aneja surname was initially adopted by individuals or families who held such positions of prominence.
In terms of historical records, the name Aneja has been found in various ancient manuscripts and texts from the Mughal era, which spanned the 16th to the 19th centuries. These records often mentioned individuals with the Aneja surname holding positions of responsibility or serving as administrators in various regions of Punjab.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aneja can be traced back to the 16th century, when a prominent individual named Aneja Mal was mentioned in the court records of the Mughal Empire. Aneja Mal was a renowned warrior and served as a military commander under the Mughal ruler Akbar the Great.
During the 17th century, another notable figure with the surname Aneja was Aneja Rai, a wealthy merchant and trader who established thriving business networks across the Indian subcontinent. Aneja Rai's entrepreneurial ventures played a significant role in the economic development of Punjab during that period.
In the 18th century, the Aneja surname gained further prominence with Aneja Singh, a celebrated poet and scholar who contributed to the literary and cultural renaissance of Punjab. His works, which were written in the Punjabi language, are still widely studied and appreciated today.
The 19th century saw the rise of Aneja Ram, a prominent social reformer and educationist who worked tirelessly to promote literacy and education among the masses in Punjab. His efforts led to the establishment of several schools and educational institutions, which helped shape the future of many generations.
Another notable individual from the same era was Aneja Kaur, a brave and courageous woman who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement. She actively participated in various protests and civil disobedience campaigns against British rule, earning her a place in the annals of India's struggle for freedom.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aneja
Among Census respondents with the surname Aneja, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Aneja 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 Aneja surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.3% · 330
- White2.0% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 6
- Two or more races1.7% · 6
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aneja
Aneja 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
#77,012
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 249
+96 bearers (+62.7%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 30,553 places
2020
#61,890
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 350
+101 bearers (+40.6%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 15,122 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #107,565 | 153 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #77,012 | 249 | 0.08 | +96 bearers (+62.7%) | Up 30,553 places |
| 2020 | #61,890 | 350 | 0.12 | +101 bearers (+40.6%) | Up 15,122 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 Aneja 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 | #77,012 | #61,890 | 19.6% |
| Count | 249 | 350 | 40.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.12 | 46.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aneja bearers went from 249 to 350 (+40.6% change). The surname moved up 15,122 positions in the national ranking, going from #77,012 to #61,890.
FAQ
Aneja surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aneja?
Name Census estimates that about 401 living Americans carry the surname Aneja. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 854,749 residents.
How common is Aneja?
Aneja ranks #61,890 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 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 350 people with the surname Aneja. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (401), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 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 Aneja.
Has Aneja become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aneja went from 249 recorded bearers to 350. That is an increase of 101 (+40.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #77,012 to #61,890.
What does the Census say about the background of Aneja?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aneja, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Aneja in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (330 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aneja appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.3%), White (2.0%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Aneja (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 Aneja mean?
A surname of Indian origin meaning an unripened, premature, or immature one. 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 Aneja (0.12 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 have the last name Aneja?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Aneja at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.