2010
#123,796
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Balakrishna
A surname of Indian origin referring to Bala (young) Krishna, a form of the Hindu deity.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 201 Americans carry the last name Balakrishna. That puts it at #108,023 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,705,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Balakrishna 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
201
1 in 1,705,245
Census rank
#108,023
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
175
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 175 bearers of the surname Balakrishna in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 108023rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Balakrishna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Balakrishna
The surname Balakrishna has its origins in India, tracing back to ancient times. It is a Hindu name derived from the Sanskrit words 'bala' meaning strength or power, and 'krishna' referring to the Hindu deity Lord Krishna. The name is primarily found in the southern states of India, particularly in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Balakrishna is believed to have been used as a surname among the Brahmin community, who were traditionally scholars, priests, and intellectuals. The name may have been adopted by families associated with religious or scholarly pursuits, signifying their reverence for Lord Krishna and their aspirations for strength and power.
Historical records suggest that the name Balakrishna appeared in various ancient texts and inscriptions, although specific dates and references are difficult to pinpoint with certainty. One notable individual bearing this surname was Balakrishna Udupa (1917-2008), a renowned Indian musician and composer from Karnataka, known for his contributions to Carnatic music.
Another prominent figure was Balakrishna Pillai (1516-1580), a renowned poet and scholar from Kerala who wrote extensively in the Malayalam language. His works, such as the Bhasha Prabandham, are considered literary masterpieces and have had a lasting impact on Malayalam literature.
In the field of art, Balakrishna Vijayam (1925-2017) was a celebrated Indian painter and sculptor from Andhra Pradesh. His works often depicted themes from Hindu mythology and traditional Indian art forms, earning him numerous accolades and recognition.
Balakrishna Menon (1897-1982) was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social reformer from Kerala. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and worked tirelessly for the upliftment of marginalized communities.
Another notable figure was Balakrishna Doshi (1927-2023), an Indian architect and recipient of the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 2018. His architectural works, including the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, exemplified a unique blend of traditional Indian elements and modern design principles.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Balakrishna throughout history, each making significant contributions to their respective fields and leaving a lasting impact on Indian culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Balakrishna
Among Census respondents with the surname Balakrishna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Balakrishna 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 Balakrishna surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.0% · 168
- White3.4% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Balakrishna
Balakrishna appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#108,023
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 175
+36 bearers (+25.9%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 15,773 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #123,796 | 139 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #108,023 | 175 | 0.06 | +36 bearers (+25.9%) | Up 15,773 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 Balakrishna 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 | #123,796 | #108,023 | 12.7% |
| Count | 139 | 175 | 25.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 17.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Balakrishna bearers went from 139 to 175 (+25.9% change). The surname moved up 15,773 positions in the national ranking, going from #123,796 to #108,023.
FAQ
Balakrishna surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Balakrishna?
Name Census estimates that about 201 living Americans carry the surname Balakrishna. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,705,245 residents.
How common is Balakrishna?
Balakrishna ranks #108,023 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 175 people with the surname Balakrishna. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (201), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Balakrishna.
Has Balakrishna become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Balakrishna went from 139 recorded bearers to 175. That is an increase of 36 (+25.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #123,796 to #108,023.
What does the Census say about the background of Balakrishna?
Among Census respondents with the surname Balakrishna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.6%). 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 Balakrishna in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (168 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Balakrishna appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.0%), White (3.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.6%). 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 Balakrishna (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 Balakrishna mean?
A surname of Indian origin referring to Bala (young) Krishna, a form of the Hindu deity. 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 Balakrishna (0.06 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 share the surname Balakrishna?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.