2010
#104,156
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 172
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Bhadra
A surname of Sanskrit origin meaning auspicious, blessed or prosperous.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 281 Americans carry the last name Bhadra. That puts it at #82,881 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,219,766 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bhadra 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
281
1 in 1,219,766
Census rank
#82,881
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
245
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 245 bearers of the surname Bhadra in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 82881st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhadra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and White (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bhadra
The surname BHADRA has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "bhadra," which means "auspicious," "fortunate," or "virtuous." The name is particularly prevalent in regions like West Bengal, Odisha, and parts of Assam, where it is closely associated with the Bengali, Odia, and Assamese cultures.
One of the earliest known references to the name BHADRA can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas. These sacred texts often mention individuals with the name BHADRA, indicating its long-standing presence in Indian society.
During the medieval period, the name BHADRA gained prominence among various Hindu communities, particularly in the eastern regions of India. Historical records and inscriptions from this era mention individuals bearing this surname, indicating their influential roles in various fields, including religion, literature, and governance.
One notable figure from history who carried the surname BHADRA was Bhadrabahu Swami, an influential Jain monk who lived in the 4th century BCE. He is credited with leading a group of monks and laypeople away from the region of present-day Gujarat to avoid a famine, ultimately settling in Karnataka and contributing to the spread of Jainism in the region.
Another prominent individual with the surname BHADRA was Bhadra Narayana Chakravarti, a celebrated Bengali scholar and poet who lived in the 16th century. He is renowned for his works in Sanskrit literature and his contributions to the development of the Bengali language and literary tradition.
In the realm of literature, the name BHADRA is associated with Bhadra Bhushan Bhaduri, a renowned Bengali poet and writer who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His poetic works and literary contributions played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of Bengal during that period.
The name BHADRA has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations across India. For instance, Bhadrak, a town in Odisha, is believed to have derived its name from the Sanskrit word "bhadra," indicating the auspicious nature of the region.
Throughout history, the surname BHADRA has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including scholars, poets, religious figures, and influential members of society. While the specific origins and meaning of the name may vary slightly across different regions and cultures, it consistently carries connotations of auspiciousness, virtue, and fortune.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bhadra
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhadra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and White (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Bhadra 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 Bhadra surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.5% · 234
- Two or more races2.9% · 7
- White1.2% · 3
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bhadra
Bhadra 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
#82,881
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 245
+73 bearers (+42.4%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 21,275 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #104,156 | 172 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #82,881 | 245 | 0.08 | +73 bearers (+42.4%) | Up 21,275 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 Bhadra 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 | #104,156 | #82,881 | 20.4% |
| Count | 172 | 245 | 42.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.08 | 36.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bhadra bearers went from 172 to 245 (+42.4% change). The surname moved up 21,275 positions in the national ranking, going from #104,156 to #82,881.
FAQ
Bhadra surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bhadra?
Name Census estimates that about 281 living Americans carry the surname Bhadra. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,219,766 residents.
How common is Bhadra?
Bhadra ranks #82,881 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 245 people with the surname Bhadra. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (281), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Bhadra.
Has Bhadra become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bhadra went from 172 recorded bearers to 245. That is an increase of 73 (+42.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #104,156 to #82,881.
What does the Census say about the background of Bhadra?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhadra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and White (1.2%). 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 Bhadra in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (234 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bhadra appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.5%), Two or More Races (2.9%), White (1.2%). 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 Bhadra (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 Bhadra mean?
A surname of Sanskrit origin meaning auspicious, blessed 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 Bhadra (0.08 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 surname Bhadra?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.