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

Bihari, 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 Bihari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bihari in America

Bihari is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bihari surname appeared 200 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bihari.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bihari 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 Bihari

The surname Bihari has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, originating from the region of Bihar, a state in eastern India. This name is derived from the word "Bihar," which can be traced back to the Sanskrit term "Vihara," meaning "Buddhist monastery" or "dwelling place."

During the medieval period, Bihar was a significant center of Buddhist learning and culture. Many scholars and monks who hailed from this region were referred to as "Biharis," which eventually became a surname for those with ties to the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bihari can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century Persian-language document written during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions several individuals with the surname, indicating its prevalence at that time.

In the 18th century, the Bihari surname gained prominence when Bihari Mal, a renowned author and poet from Bihar, rose to fame. Born in 1670, Bihari Mal wrote several influential works, including the "Satsai," a collection of seven hundred verses in the Braj Bhasha language.

Another notable figure with the Bihari surname was Raja Ram Bihari Singh, a renowned warrior and ruler of the princely state of Rewah (now part of Madhya Pradesh) in the 18th century. He played a crucial role in defending his territory against the Maratha forces and is remembered for his bravery and military prowess.

In the field of literature, Shyam Bihari Lal (1887-1966) was a significant figure from Bihar. He was a prolific writer and poet who contributed greatly to the Maithili language and literature. His works helped preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Mithila region.

Another notable individual with the Bihari surname was Anugrah Narayan Bihari (1904-1984), a prominent Indian politician and freedom fighter. He served as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh and played an active role in the Indian independence movement, working closely with Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders.

The surname Bihari has also been associated with various place names in the region, such as Bihari Ganj, Bihari Nath, and Bihari Pura, further solidifying its connection to the geographical area of Bihar.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bihari

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

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 Bihari 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 Bihari 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 Bihari was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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