Chopra
A occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold bangles, bracelets, or other ornaments.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,359 Americans carry the last name Chopra. That puts it at #10,979 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 102,041 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chopra surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
3.4K
1 in 102,041
Census rank
#10,979
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,897 bearers of the surname Chopra in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10979th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chopra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chopra
The surname Chopra is of Indian origin, specifically from the Punjab region of northern India. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th to 15th centuries.
The name Chopra is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chopra," which means "poet" or "writer." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely poets, scholars, or writers by profession or occupation.
In ancient Indian texts and manuscripts, such as the Puranas and the Epics, there are references to individuals with the name Chopra. While specific dates are difficult to pinpoint, these mentions indicate the antiquity of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chopra can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. It mentions a poet named Kavi Chopra, who lived during the reign of Akbar (1556-1605).
Another notable historical figure with the surname Chopra was Bhai Mati Das Chopra, a Sikh scholar and martyr who lived in the 17th century. He was executed in 1675 for refusing to convert to Islam during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Chopra surname was prevalent in various parts of Punjab, particularly in the cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar. Some prominent individuals from this period include Lala Dharam Das Chopra (1781-1858), a renowned poet and author, and Nawab Kapur Singh Chopra (1812-1884), a nobleman and philanthropist.
In more recent history, several noteworthy individuals with the surname Chopra have gained recognition in various fields. These include Dr. Deepak Chopra (born 1946), a world-renowned author, physician, and alternative medicine advocate; Anil Chopra (born 1956), a renowned civil engineer and academic; and Priyanka Chopra (born 1982), a celebrated actress and former Miss World.
While the surname Chopra is primarily associated with the Indian subcontinent, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be traced back to the Punjab region of northern India, where it originated as a name associated with poets, writers, and scholars.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chopra
Among Census respondents with the surname Chopra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Chopra bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Chopra surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander89.3%
- White5.3%
- Two or more races3.6%
- Hispanic or Latino1.1%
- Black or African American0.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Chopra surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,857 | #10,979 | 26.1% |
| Count | 1,829 | 2,897 | 58.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.98 | 44.1% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Chopra bearers went from 1,829 to 2,897 (+58.4% change). The surname moved up 3,878 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,857 to #10,979.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Chopra
FAQ
Chopra surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Chopra?
The surname Chopra holds position #10,979 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,359 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Chopra surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chopra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.