2000
#11,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,640
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.98
Rare Last name
Arora
A surname of Indian origin referring to the Arora caste, traditionally associated with agriculture and trading.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,384 Americans carry the last name Arora. That puts it at #4,191 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 36,525 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Arora 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 Arora with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.4K
1 in 36,525
Census rank
#4,191
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,183 bearers of the surname Arora in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4191st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Arora, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Arora
Among Census respondents with the surname Arora, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Arora 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 Arora surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.9% · 7,522
- White3.8% · 315
- Two or more races2.6% · 212
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 61
- Black or African American0.5% · 38
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 35
Timeline
Historical Census data for Arora
Arora 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
#6,697
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,043
+2,403 bearers (+91.0%)
Per 100,000 1.71
Rank movement Up 4,347 places
2020
#4,191
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,183
+3,140 bearers (+62.3%)
Per 100,000 2.74
Rank movement Up 2,506 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,044 | 2,640 | 0.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,697 | 5,043 | 1.71 | +2,403 bearers (+91.0%) | Up 4,347 places |
| 2020 | #4,191 | 8,183 | 2.74 | +3,140 bearers (+62.3%) | Up 2,506 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 Arora 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 | #6,697 | #4,191 | 37.4% |
| Count | 5,043 | 8,183 | 62.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.71 | 2.74 | 60.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Arora bearers went from 5,043 to 8,183 (+62.3% change). The surname moved up 2,506 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,697 to #4,191.
FAQ
Arora surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Arora?
Name Census estimates that about 9,384 living Americans carry the surname Arora. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 36,525 residents.
How common is Arora?
Arora ranks #4,191 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,183 people with the surname Arora. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,384), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Arora.
Has Arora become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Arora went from 5,043 recorded bearers to 8,183. That is an increase of 3,140 (+62.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,697 to #4,191.
What does the Census say about the background of Arora?
Among Census respondents with the surname Arora, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Arora in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (7,522 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Arora appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.9%), White (3.8%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Arora (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 Arora mean?
A surname of Indian origin referring to the Arora caste, traditionally associated with agriculture and trading. 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 Arora (2.74 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 Arora?
See how common the surname Arora is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.