2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bhairo
A surname with origins in Nepal, potentially related to the Hindu deity Bhairava.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Bhairo. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bhairo 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Bhairo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhairo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 43.6%. The next largest groups are Black (32.7%) and White (15.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bhairo
The surname Bhairo is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the northern region of Uttar Pradesh, where it is still prevalent today. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Bhairava," which refers to a fearsome manifestation of the Hindu god Shiva, known for his destructive nature.
Historically, the name Bhairo has been associated with various religious and cultural traditions in India. It is mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts, including the Puranas and the Shiva Purana, where Bhairava is described as a powerful and terrifying form of Shiva. The name may have been adopted by families or individuals as a means of seeking protection or expressing devotion to this particular aspect of Shiva.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bhairo can be found in the Prayag Prashasti, an inscription dating back to the 12th century CE, which mentions a person named Bhairo who held a prominent position in the court of the Gahadavala king Govindachandra.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Bhairo. One such example is Pandit Bhairo Dutt Sharma (1844-1921), a renowned Sanskrit scholar and author from Uttar Pradesh, who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of ancient Hindu texts.
Another prominent figure was Raja Bhairo Singh (1702-1778), a ruler of the princely state of Aligarh in northern India during the 18th century. He is remembered for his efforts in developing the region and promoting education.
Bhairo Prasad Mishra (1861-1934), a renowned writer and poet from Bihar, was also a notable bearer of this surname. His works, written in Hindi and Maithili, played a crucial role in the literary renaissance of the region.
In the field of music, the name Bhairo is closely associated with Pandit Bhairo Shastri (1938-2003), a renowned classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana (school of music). He was widely praised for his mastery of the intricate ragas and his ability to captivate audiences with his performances.
Lastly, Bhairo Lal Khanna (1912-1992), a prominent lawyer and jurist from Punjab, served as a judge in the Supreme Court of India and made significant contributions to the interpretation and development of Indian jurisprudence.
While these are just a few examples, the surname Bhairo has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout Indian history, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural and religious significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bhairo
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhairo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 43.6%. The next largest groups are Black (32.7%) and White (15.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bhairo 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 Bhairo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander43.6% · 44
- Black or African American32.7% · 33
- White15.8% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.0% · 3
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bhairo
Bhairo 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
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-17 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,130 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 14,130 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 Bhairo 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 | #141,140 | #155,270 | -10.0% |
| Count | 118 | 101 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bhairo bearers went from 118 to 101 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 14,130 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #155,270.
FAQ
Bhairo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bhairo?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Bhairo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Bhairo?
Bhairo ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Bhairo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Bhairo.
Has Bhairo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bhairo went from 118 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Bhairo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhairo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 43.6%. The next largest groups are Black (32.7%) and White (15.8%). 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 Bhairo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 43.6% (44 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bhairo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (43.6%), Black (32.7%), White (15.8%). 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 Bhairo (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 Bhairo mean?
A surname with origins in Nepal, potentially related to the Hindu deity Bhairava. 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 Bhairo (0.03 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 last name Bhairo?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Bhairo, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.