2000
#95,567
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 177
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Bhutani
An Indian surname of Rajput origin referring to someone from the former princely state of Bhutan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 433 Americans carry the last name Bhutani. That puts it at #58,068 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 791,580 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bhutani 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
433
1 in 791,580
Census rank
#58,068
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
378
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 378 bearers of the surname Bhutani in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 58068th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhutani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and White (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bhutani
The surname Bhutani is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the northern regions. It is likely derived from the word 'Bhutan,' which is the name of the neighboring country. The name Bhutan itself has its roots in the Sanskrit language and is thought to mean 'Land of the Thunder Dragon.'
While the exact origin of the Bhutani surname is uncertain, it is speculated that it may have been adopted by individuals or families who either migrated from Bhutan or had ancestral ties to the region. Some historical accounts suggest that the name could also be associated with individuals who resided in areas bordering Bhutan or had connections to trade or cultural exchanges with the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bhutani surname can be traced back to the 16th century, when it appeared in local records and documents from the northern Indian states. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled differently, such as 'Bhootani' or 'Bhoottani,' reflecting the variations in orthography and phonetic transcription.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Bhutani surname. One such figure was Rani Bhutani (1800-1870), a prominent ruler and warrior from the Rajput clan who played a significant role in the resistance against the British East India Company's expansion in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Another notable bearer of the Bhutani name was Govind Bhutani (1910-1985), a renowned Indian classical musician and master of the sitar. His contributions to the development and popularization of Hindustani classical music were widely recognized, and he influenced generations of musicians.
In the literary realm, Geetanjali Bhutani (1926-2003) was a celebrated poet and writer who published several anthologies of poems and prose works. Her writings often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, earning her critical acclaim and numerous accolades.
The field of science and technology also boasts individuals with the Bhutani surname. One such figure is Dr. Rajesh Bhutani (born 1965), a pioneering computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded one of India's first successful software companies in the 1990s.
In the realm of sports, Pradeep Bhutani (born 1975) was a decorated Indian cricketer who represented the national team in various formats. He was known for his aggressive batting style and contributed significantly to the team's success in several international tournaments.
While these are just a few examples, the Bhutani surname has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields, each leaving their mark on society in their own unique ways.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bhutani
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhutani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and White (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bhutani 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 Bhutani surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander90.5% · 342
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 20
- White3.7% · 14
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bhutani
Bhutani 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
#72,568
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 268
+91 bearers (+51.4%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 22,999 places
2020
#58,068
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 378
+110 bearers (+41.0%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 14,500 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #95,567 | 177 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #72,568 | 268 | 0.09 | +91 bearers (+51.4%) | Up 22,999 places |
| 2020 | #58,068 | 378 | 0.13 | +110 bearers (+41.0%) | Up 14,500 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 Bhutani 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 | #72,568 | #58,068 | 20.0% |
| Count | 268 | 378 | 41.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.13 | 40.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bhutani bearers went from 268 to 378 (+41.0% change). The surname moved up 14,500 positions in the national ranking, going from #72,568 to #58,068.
FAQ
Bhutani surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bhutani?
Name Census estimates that about 433 living Americans carry the surname Bhutani. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 791,580 residents.
How common is Bhutani?
Bhutani ranks #58,068 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 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 378 people with the surname Bhutani. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (433), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 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 Bhutani.
Has Bhutani become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bhutani went from 268 recorded bearers to 378. That is an increase of 110 (+41.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #72,568 to #58,068.
What does the Census say about the background of Bhutani?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bhutani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and White (3.7%). 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 Bhutani in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (342 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bhutani appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (90.5%), Hispanic (5.3%), White (3.7%). 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 Bhutani (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 Bhutani mean?
An Indian surname of Rajput origin referring to someone from the former princely state of Bhutan. 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 Bhutani (0.13 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 are called Bhutani?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Bhutani at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.