2010
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Bhalerao
An Indian surname indicating origins from the Bhill community.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 335 Americans carry the last name Bhalerao. That puts it at #71,896 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,023,147 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bhalerao 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
335
1 in 1,023,147
Census rank
#71,896
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
292
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 292 bearers of the surname Bhalerao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 71896th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhalerao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and White (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bhalerao
The surname BHALERAO originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the state of Maharashtra. It is a surname that dates back several centuries and has its roots in the Marathi language. The name BHALERAO is derived from the combination of two words - "Bhale," which means "excellent" or "good," and "Rao," which is an honorific title used to denote a person of high social status or a ruler.
The earliest known records of the surname BHALERAO can be traced back to the 16th century, during the reign of the Maratha Empire. The name is believed to have been initially associated with individuals who held positions of authority or those who were part of the nobility or ruling class. One of the earliest documented instances of the name BHALERAO appears in the Bakhars, which are historical chronicles of the Maratha Empire.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the BHALERAO surname gained prominence as several individuals bearing this name held important positions in the Maratha administration. Notably, Malhar Rao Bhalerao, who lived from 1670 to 1738, was a prominent military leader and commander in the Maratha army under Chhatrapati Shahu, the ruler of the Maratha Empire.
Another notable figure with the BHALERAO surname was Govind Pant Bhalerao, who served as the Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire from 1768 to 1772. He played a crucial role in the administration and governance of the empire during his tenure.
In the 19th century, the BHALERAO surname continued to be associated with individuals from influential families and those who held positions of authority. One such individual was Khanderao Bhalerao, a prominent landowner and agriculturist who lived in the state of Maharashtra during the late 19th century.
The surname BHALERAO has also been linked to several literary figures and scholars throughout history. One prominent example is Vishnu Ganesh Bhalerao, a renowned Marathi poet and writer who lived from 1865 to 1926. His literary works contributed significantly to the development of Marathi literature and poetry.
While the BHALERAO surname has its roots in Maharashtra, individuals bearing this name can now be found across various parts of India, as well as in the Indian diaspora around the world. However, it remains closely associated with the cultural and historical heritage of the Marathi people and the Maratha Empire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bhalerao
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhalerao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and White (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bhalerao 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 Bhalerao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.8% · 271
- Two or more races3.4% · 10
- White2.4% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bhalerao
Bhalerao 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
#71,896
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 292
+159 bearers (+119.5%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 56,353 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #71,896 | 292 | 0.10 | +159 bearers (+119.5%) | Up 56,353 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 Bhalerao 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 | #128,249 | #71,896 | 43.9% |
| Count | 133 | 292 | 119.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.10 | 95.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bhalerao bearers went from 133 to 292 (+119.5% change). The surname moved up 56,353 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #71,896.
FAQ
Bhalerao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bhalerao?
Name Census estimates that about 335 living Americans carry the surname Bhalerao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,023,147 residents.
How common is Bhalerao?
Bhalerao ranks #71,896 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 292 people with the surname Bhalerao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (335), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Bhalerao.
Has Bhalerao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bhalerao went from 133 recorded bearers to 292. That is an increase of 159 (+119.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #128,249 to #71,896.
What does the Census say about the background of Bhalerao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhalerao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and White (2.4%). 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 Bhalerao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (271 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bhalerao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.8%), Two or More Races (3.4%), White (2.4%). 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 Bhalerao (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 Bhalerao mean?
An Indian surname indicating origins from the Bhill community. 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 Bhalerao (0.10 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 Americans have the surname Bhalerao?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.