Arora last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Arora is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Arora.

Meaning of Arora

A surname of Indian origin referring to the Arora caste, traditionally associated with agriculture and trading.

Arora, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Arora surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arora in America

Arora is the 6697th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arora surname appeared 5,043 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Arora.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arora to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 6697 11044 -49.01%
Count 5,043 2,640 62.55%
Proportion per 100k 1.71 0.98 54.28%

The history of the last name Arora

The surname "Arora" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the regions of Punjab and Rajasthan. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "arya," which means "noble" or "honorable." It is thought to have first appeared during the ancient Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

The Arora community has a rich history dating back to the medieval period, when they were known as traders and merchants. They played a significant role in the development of commerce and trade routes across the Indian subcontinent and beyond. The name can be found in historical records, including ancient manuscripts and inscriptions from various regions of India.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name "Arora" can be found in the Prithviraj Raso, an epic poem composed in the 12th century CE, which narrates the life and exploits of the legendary Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan. The poem mentions an Arora merchant named Chadra Das, who played a pivotal role in the events described.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname "Arora." One such figure is Lala Lajpat Rai (1865-1928), a prominent Indian freedom fighter and leader of the Indian National Congress. He was a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement and played a crucial role in the struggle against British colonial rule.

Another notable Arora is Satya Narayan Arora (1912-1992), a renowned Indian mathematician and physicist. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and theoretical physics, particularly in the areas of general relativity and cosmology.

Dharampal Gulati (1923-2020), better known as the "Masala King," was an Indian businessman and the founder of the spice company MDH (Mahashian Di Hatti). He is credited with revolutionizing the spice industry in India and making MDH a household name worldwide.

In the literary realm, Krishan Chander (1914-1977) was a celebrated Urdu and Hindi writer, novelist, and playwright. His works, such as "Dharti Sone Ki" and "Garam Coat," explored social issues and the lives of ordinary people, making him a significant figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement in India.

Another notable Arora is Virender Sehwag (born 1978), a former Indian cricketer and one of the most destructive opening batsmen in the history of the game. He held numerous records, including the highest individual score in Test cricket (319 runs) and the fastest triple century in Test cricket.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the surname "Arora" throughout history, reflecting the diverse contributions and achievements of those bearing this name across various fields and disciplines.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arora

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Arora.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Arora was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 3.53% 178
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.61% 31
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 92.43% 4,661
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.52% 26
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.22% 112
Hispanic Origin 0.69% 35

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Arora has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 3.53% 4.73% -29.06%
Black 0.61% 0.27% 77.27%
Asian and Pacific Islander 92.43% 87.31% 5.70%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.52% 0.45% 14.43%
Two or More Races 2.22% 6.21% -94.66%
Hispanic 0.69% 1.02% -38.60%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Arora was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arora, please contact us.

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"Arora last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 9, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/arora-surname-popularity/.

"Arora last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/arora-surname-popularity/. Accessed 9 October, 2024

Arora last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/arora-surname-popularity/.

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