2000
#57,252
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 333
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Aujla
A Sikh surname indicating one whose ancestors were landlords or village headmen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 901 Americans carry the last name Aujla. That puts it at #31,542 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 380,415 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aujla 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 Aujla with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
901
1 in 380,415
Census rank
#31,542
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
786
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 786 bearers of the surname Aujla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31542nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aujla, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aujla
The surname Aujla is of Indian origin, specifically from the Punjab region of northwest India and eastern Pakistan. It dates back several centuries, with its earliest known roots traced to the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Ojha," meaning "brilliant" or "shining," referring to someone with a bright or radiant personality.
The Aujla name is prevalent among the Jat community, an influential agricultural and landowning community found in the Punjab region. In historical records, the name can be found in various forms, such as Ojha, Aujha, and Aujla, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling over time.
One of the earliest known references to the Aujla name can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions the Aujla community as landowners and farmers in the Sirhind region of Punjab.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Aujla name gained prominence as several individuals with this surname rose to positions of power and influence in the Sikh Empire and the Sikh Confederacy. Sardar Sham Singh Aujla (1762-1846) was a notable Sikh warrior and military leader who fought against the Afghan invaders and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Another prominent figure was Bhai Maharaj Singh Aujla (1788-1856), a renowned Sikh scholar and religious leader who made significant contributions to the interpretation and propagation of Sikh teachings. His writings and teachings were highly influential during his lifetime and continue to be respected within the Sikh community.
In the 20th century, Gurbachan Singh Aujla (1902-1976) was a prominent Punjabi writer and poet who authored several works celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Punjab. His literary contributions earned him recognition and acclaim, and he is considered one of the most influential figures in modern Punjabi literature.
Historically, the Aujla name has also been associated with various villages and towns in the Punjab region, such as Aujla Kalan, Aujla Khurd, and Aujla Mahmdpur, reflecting the presence of Aujla families in these areas over generations.
It's worth noting that the names mentioned above are just a few examples, and there have been numerous other notable individuals bearing the Aujla surname throughout history, contributing to various fields such as politics, military, education, and social reform.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aujla
Among Census respondents with the surname Aujla, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Aujla 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 Aujla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.1% · 724
- White3.6% · 28
- Two or more races2.0% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 12
- Black or African American0.4% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aujla
Aujla 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
#43,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 499
+166 bearers (+49.8%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 13,967 places
2020
#31,542
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 786
+287 bearers (+57.5%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Up 11,743 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #57,252 | 333 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #43,285 | 499 | 0.17 | +166 bearers (+49.8%) | Up 13,967 places |
| 2020 | #31,542 | 786 | 0.26 | +287 bearers (+57.5%) | Up 11,743 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 Aujla 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 | #43,285 | #31,542 | 27.1% |
| Count | 499 | 786 | 57.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.26 | 54.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aujla bearers went from 499 to 786 (+57.5% change). The surname moved up 11,743 positions in the national ranking, going from #43,285 to #31,542.
FAQ
Aujla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aujla?
Name Census estimates that about 901 living Americans carry the surname Aujla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 380,415 residents.
How common is Aujla?
Aujla ranks #31,542 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 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 786 people with the surname Aujla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (901), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 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 Aujla.
Has Aujla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aujla went from 499 recorded bearers to 786. That is an increase of 287 (+57.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #43,285 to #31,542.
What does the Census say about the background of Aujla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aujla, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Aujla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (724 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aujla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.1%), White (3.6%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Aujla (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 Aujla mean?
A Sikh surname indicating one whose ancestors were landlords or village headmen. 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 Aujla (0.26 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 Aujla?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Aujla on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.