2000
#43,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 472
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Very Rare Last name
Bhola
A surname of Hindu origin meaning "simple" or "innocent".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 893 Americans carry the last name Bhola. That puts it at #31,790 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 383,823 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bhola 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bhola with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
893
1 in 383,823
Census rank
#31,790
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
779
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 779 bearers of the surname Bhola in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31790th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhola, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 51.3%. The next largest groups are Black (26.7%) and White (9.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bhola
The surname BHOLA is of Indian origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word "bhola," which means innocent or naive. This term was often used as a nickname or descriptor for individuals with a simple, childlike demeanor.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname BHOLA can be traced back to the 14th century in northern India, particularly in the regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. During this time, many Hindu families adopted surnames based on personal characteristics, occupations, or place names, which could explain the emergence of BHOLA as a surname.
One of the earliest known bearers of the BHOLA surname was Shri Bhola Nath, a renowned Hindu saint and spiritual leader who lived in the 15th century. He is revered for his devotional poetry and his teachings on the path of devotion, which influenced many followers across northern India.
In the 16th century, the BHOLA surname gained prominence when a wealthy merchant family from the city of Varanasi adopted it. This family played a significant role in the region's trade and commerce, and their wealth and influence helped to further establish the BHOLA name.
During the Mughal era, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, several BHOLA individuals held important positions within the imperial administration. One notable figure was Raja Bhola Singh, a military commander who served under Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century.
Another prominent individual with the BHOLA surname was Pandit Bhola Nath Tiwari, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and philosopher who lived in the 18th century. He authored several treatises on Hindu philosophy and is credited with reviving the study of ancient Sanskrit texts in northern India.
In more recent history, the BHOLA surname has been carried by influential figures in various fields, such as Bhola Prasad Shastri, a prominent Indian politician and activist who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement in the early 20th century.
Overall, the surname BHOLA has a rich historical significance in India, with its origins rooted in ancient Sanskrit terminology and its presence spanning various regions and eras. Despite its humble beginnings, the name has been associated with individuals of notable accomplishments and influence throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bhola
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhola, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 51.3%. The next largest groups are Black (26.7%) and White (9.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bhola 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 Bhola surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander51.3% · 400
- Black or African American26.7% · 208
- White9.9% · 77
- Two or more races6.4% · 50
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.6% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bhola
Bhola appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#32,750
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 701
+229 bearers (+48.5%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 10,407 places
2020
#31,790
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 779
+78 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Up 960 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #43,157 | 472 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #32,750 | 701 | 0.24 | +229 bearers (+48.5%) | Up 10,407 places |
| 2020 | #31,790 | 779 | 0.26 | +78 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 960 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 Bhola 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 | #32,750 | #31,790 | 2.9% |
| Count | 701 | 779 | 11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.26 | 8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bhola bearers went from 701 to 779 (+11.1% change). The surname moved up 960 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,750 to #31,790.
FAQ
Bhola surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bhola?
Name Census estimates that about 893 living Americans carry the surname Bhola. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 383,823 residents.
How common is Bhola?
Bhola ranks #31,790 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 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 779 people with the surname Bhola. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (893), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 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 Bhola.
Has Bhola become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bhola went from 701 recorded bearers to 779. That is an increase of 78 (+11.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #32,750 to #31,790.
What does the Census say about the background of Bhola?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhola, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 51.3%. The next largest groups are Black (26.7%) and White (9.9%). 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 Bhola in the 2020 Census, accounting for 51.3% (400 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bhola appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (51.3%), Black (26.7%), White (9.9%). 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 Bhola (2000, 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 Bhola mean?
A surname of Hindu origin meaning "simple" or "innocent". 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 Bhola (0.26 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 Bhola?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.