2010
#26,126
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 937
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Rare Last name
Basnet
A name of Nepali origin meaning "inhabitant of the forest".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,432 Americans carry the last name Basnet. That puts it at #10,244 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,870 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Basnet 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 Basnet with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 99,870
Census rank
#10,244
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,993 bearers of the surname Basnet in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10244th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Basnet, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.3%. The next largest groups are White (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Basnet
The surname BASNET originated in Nepal and traces its roots back to the Newar community, an indigenous ethnic group that has inhabited the Kathmandu Valley for centuries. The name is derived from the Newari word "Bansā," which means "bamboo" or "bamboo grove," reflecting the region's lush vegetation and the importance of bamboo in Newar culture.
In the medieval period, the Newars were renowned for their craftsmanship, particularly in metalworking and wood carving. Many Newar families adopted surnames based on their occupations or areas of expertise, with BASNET potentially referring to those involved in the bamboo trade or bamboo-related crafts.
One of the earliest documented references to the BASNET surname can be found in the "Gopalarajavamsavali," a manuscript dating back to the 14th century that chronicles the history of the Nepalese royal dynasty. This manuscript mentions several individuals with the BASNET surname, suggesting the name's longstanding presence in the region.
Notable individuals with the BASNET surname include Prakash Basnet, a celebrated Nepalese playwright and poet born in 1918, whose works explored themes of social justice and cultural identity. Another prominent figure is Shanta Basnet, born in 1935, a renowned Nepalese artist known for her vibrant paintings depicting Nepalese culture and traditions.
In the realm of sports, Rohit Basnet, born in 1992, is a Nepalese cricketer who has represented his country in various international tournaments. Sushil Basnet, born in 1970, is a distinguished Nepalese journalist and author who has written extensively on human rights and environmental issues.
The BASNET surname has also been associated with historical landmarks and place names in Nepal. For instance, the Basnet Bazaar in Kathmandu is a bustling market area that has existed for centuries, showcasing the deep-rooted connection between the name and the region's cultural fabric.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Basnet
Among Census respondents with the surname Basnet, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.3%. The next largest groups are White (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Basnet 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 Basnet surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander97.3% · 2,912
- White1.0% · 31
- Two or more races1.0% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
- Black or African American0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Basnet
Basnet 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
#10,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,993
+2,056 bearers (+219.4%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 15,882 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #26,126 | 937 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #10,244 | 2,993 | 1.00 | +2,056 bearers (+219.4%) | Up 15,882 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 Basnet 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 | #26,126 | #10,244 | 60.8% |
| Count | 937 | 2,993 | 219.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.32 | 1.00 | 212.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Basnet bearers went from 937 to 2,993 (+219.4% change). The surname moved up 15,882 positions in the national ranking, going from #26,126 to #10,244.
FAQ
Basnet surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Basnet?
Name Census estimates that about 3,432 living Americans carry the surname Basnet. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,870 residents.
How common is Basnet?
Basnet ranks #10,244 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,993 people with the surname Basnet. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,432), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.00 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Basnet.
Has Basnet become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Basnet went from 937 recorded bearers to 2,993. That is an increase of 2,056 (+219.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #26,126 to #10,244.
What does the Census say about the background of Basnet?
Among Census respondents with the surname Basnet, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.3%. The next largest groups are White (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Basnet in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (2,912 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Basnet appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (97.3%), White (1.0%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Basnet (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 Basnet mean?
A name of Nepali origin meaning "inhabitant of the forest". 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 Basnet (1.00 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 are called Basnet?
See how many Americans have the surname Basnet on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.