Find out how popular the last name Bhagat is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bhagat.

Bhagat, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bhagat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bhagat in America

Bhagat is the 16616th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bhagat surname appeared 1,726 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bhagat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bhagat to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bhagat

The surname BHAGAT has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern regions of the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "bhakta," which means "devotee" or "worshipper." The name is closely associated with the Bhakti movement, a spiritual revival that swept across the Indian subcontinent between the 7th and 17th centuries.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname BHAGAT can be traced back to the medieval period, particularly in the writings of the Sikh Gurus and the Bhakti saints. One notable example is Kabir, a renowned 15th-century mystic and poet, who is often referred to as "Kabir Bhagat" in historical texts.

In the 16th century, the surname BHAGAT gained prominence during the reign of the Mughal Empire. Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, is believed to have had a close association with individuals bearing the surname BHAGAT, as evidenced by the inclusion of their compositions in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of Sikhism.

The BHAGAT surname is closely linked to several prominent figures throughout history. One such individual is Ravidas, a 15th-century spiritual teacher and poet from the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh. His teachings and writings have had a profound impact on the Bhakti movement and continue to inspire followers to this day.

Another notable figure is Mirabai, a 16th-century Hindu mystic and devotional poet from the royal family of Mewar (present-day Rajasthan). She is renowned for her unwavering devotion to Lord Krishna and her poetic compositions, which are still widely recited and celebrated.

In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with Bulleh Shah, a renowned Sufi poet and spiritual teacher from the Punjab region. His poetry, which often celebrated the unity of all religions and the love for the divine, has left an indelible mark on the region's cultural and literary landscape.

The BHAGAT surname has also been associated with various place names and locations across the Indian subcontinent. One such example is the town of Ravidaspuram, named after the 15th-century Bhakti saint Ravidas, located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

While the surname BHAGAT has its roots in the northern regions of India, it has since spread across the country and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have migrated to different parts of the world. The name continues to hold significant cultural and spiritual significance, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bhagat

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bhagat.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bhagat was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bhagat has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bhagat was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bhagat, please contact us.

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