2010
#103,181
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 174
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Bathula
An Indian surname derived from the Sanskrit 'bāthula' meaning wealthy or prosperous.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 399 Americans carry the last name Bathula. That puts it at #62,198 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 859,033 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bathula 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
399
1 in 859,033
Census rank
#62,198
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
348
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 348 bearers of the surname Bathula in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 62198th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bathula, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%) and White (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bathula
The surname Bathula has its origins in India, specifically in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, between the 9th and 14th centuries. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Bhathula," which refers to a type of rice or grain used in traditional cuisine.
Bathula is a common surname among the Kamma caste, a prominent agricultural community in Andhra Pradesh. It is speculated that the name was initially associated with individuals involved in the cultivation or trade of rice and grains. As families often adopted surnames based on their occupations or professions during that era, it is plausible that the name arose from this connection.
Historical records from the Kakatiya dynasty, which ruled the region between the 12th and 14th centuries, contain references to individuals bearing the surname Bathula. These records include land grants, administrative documents, and inscriptions on temple walls. Unfortunately, precise dates and individual names are not consistently documented in these ancient sources.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bathula surname can be found in the 16th-century Telugu literary work "Prabhavati Pradyumnamu" by Peddana. The work mentions a character named Bathula Venkata Krishnayya, who is believed to have been a contemporary of the author. This provides evidence of the surname's usage during the Vijayanagara Empire's reign in the region.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Bathula surname. One prominent figure was Bathula Anjaneyulu (1848-1920), a revered Telugu poet and social reformer from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His literary works and advocacy for women's education and social reforms have left a lasting impact on Telugu culture.
Another influential Bathula was Bathula Narayana Rao (1899-1970), a renowned Telugu scholar and linguist. He played a crucial role in the standardization of the Telugu language and authored numerous works on Telugu grammar, literature, and history.
In more recent times, Bathula Butchiraju Govinda Reddy (1916-1993) was a prominent politician and freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and played an active role in the Indian independence movement.
Bathula Sridhar (born 1952) is a contemporary figure, a renowned Telugu film director, and screenwriter. He has directed several critically acclaimed movies and has contributed significantly to the Telugu film industry.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Bathula surname throughout history, showcasing its deep-rooted presence and significance in the cultural and social fabric of Andhra Pradesh and the Telugu-speaking regions of India.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bathula
Among Census respondents with the surname Bathula, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%) and White (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bathula 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 Bathula surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.6% · 336
- Two or more races1.4% · 5
- White0.9% · 3
- Black or African American0.6% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bathula
Bathula 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
#62,198
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 348
+174 bearers (+100.0%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 40,983 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #103,181 | 174 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #62,198 | 348 | 0.12 | +174 bearers (+100.0%) | Up 40,983 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 Bathula 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 | #103,181 | #62,198 | 39.7% |
| Count | 174 | 348 | 100.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.12 | 94.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bathula bearers went from 174 to 348 (+100.0% change). The surname moved up 40,983 positions in the national ranking, going from #103,181 to #62,198.
FAQ
Bathula surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bathula?
Name Census estimates that about 399 living Americans carry the surname Bathula. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 859,033 residents.
How common is Bathula?
Bathula ranks #62,198 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 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 348 people with the surname Bathula. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (399), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 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 Bathula.
Has Bathula become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bathula went from 174 recorded bearers to 348. That is an increase of 174 (+100.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #103,181 to #62,198.
What does the Census say about the background of Bathula?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bathula, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%) and White (0.9%). 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 Bathula in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (336 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bathula appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.6%), Two or More Races (1.4%), White (0.9%). 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 Bathula (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 Bathula mean?
An Indian surname derived from the Sanskrit 'bāthula' meaning wealthy or prosperous. 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 Bathula (0.12 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 common is the surname Bathula?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Bathula on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.