2000
#33,933
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 633
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Rare Last name
Chaudhari
An honorific surname used by certain landholding communities in India.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,978 Americans carry the last name Chaudhari. That puts it at #11,578 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 115,095 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chaudhari 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 Chaudhari with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.0K
1 in 115,095
Census rank
#11,578
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,597 bearers of the surname Chaudhari in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11578th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaudhari, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chaudhari
The surname "CHAUDHARI" originated in India and is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chaudhar," which means "chief" or "leader." This surname was historically associated with the Kshatriya caste, which comprised warriors, landowners, and rulers.
The earliest known references to the name "CHAUDHARI" can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions from the 7th century AD. The name was particularly prominent in the northern and central regions of India, including present-day states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "CHAUDHARI" can be found in the Khajuraho inscriptions from the 10th century AD, which mentions a ruler named Chaudhari Vatsaraja. Another notable historical figure bearing this surname was Chaudhari Devi Singh, a 16th-century ruler of the Bundela clan, who played a significant role in the establishment of the Orchha kingdom.
During the Mughal era, the "CHAUDHARI" surname was often associated with landowners and chieftains who held significant authority over their respective territories. Many Chaudharis served as local administrators and representatives of the Mughal emperors, ensuring the smooth governance of their regions.
One of the most famous individuals with the "CHAUDHARI" surname was Chaudhari Ranjit Singh, also known as the "Lion of Punjab." Born in 1780, he was the founder of the Sikh Empire and is revered as a great military leader and statesman. His reign was marked by a period of territorial expansion and consolidation of power in the region.
Another notable Chaudhari was Chaudhari Shivraj Singh, a 17th-century ruler of the Kachhwaha Rajput clan, who played a crucial role in the defense of the Mewar region against the Mughal Empire. His bravery and leadership earned him a prominent place in the annals of Rajput history.
In the 18th century, Chaudhari Rahmat Khan, a prominent Rohilla chieftain, gained recognition for his military prowess and his role in the struggle against the East India Company's expansion in northern India.
The name "CHAUDHARI" has also been associated with various place names and regions across India, such as Chaudhari Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Chaudhari Nagar in Rajasthan, and Chaudhari Pura in Bihar, reflecting the historical presence and influence of individuals bearing this surname in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chaudhari
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaudhari, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Chaudhari 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 Chaudhari surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.8% · 2,411
- White3.3% · 86
- Two or more races2.1% · 55
- Black or African American0.7% · 18
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chaudhari
Chaudhari 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
#19,911
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,348
+715 bearers (+113.0%)
Per 100,000 0.46
Rank movement Up 14,022 places
2020
#11,578
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,597
+1,249 bearers (+92.7%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Up 8,333 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #33,933 | 633 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,911 | 1,348 | 0.46 | +715 bearers (+113.0%) | Up 14,022 places |
| 2020 | #11,578 | 2,597 | 0.87 | +1,249 bearers (+92.7%) | Up 8,333 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 Chaudhari 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 | #19,911 | #11,578 | 41.9% |
| Count | 1,348 | 2,597 | 92.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.46 | 0.87 | 88.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chaudhari bearers went from 1,348 to 2,597 (+92.7% change). The surname moved up 8,333 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,911 to #11,578.
FAQ
Chaudhari surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chaudhari?
Name Census estimates that about 2,978 living Americans carry the surname Chaudhari. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 115,095 residents.
How common is Chaudhari?
Chaudhari ranks #11,578 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,597 people with the surname Chaudhari. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,978), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.87 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.87 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Chaudhari.
Has Chaudhari become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chaudhari went from 1,348 recorded bearers to 2,597. That is an increase of 1,249 (+92.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,911 to #11,578.
What does the Census say about the background of Chaudhari?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaudhari, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Chaudhari in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (2,411 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chaudhari appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.8%), White (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Chaudhari (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 Chaudhari mean?
An honorific surname used by certain landholding communities in India. 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 Chaudhari (0.87 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 Chaudhari?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Chaudhari on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.