2000
#18,045
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,425
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.53
Rare Last name
Dalal
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "guide" or "one who leads or directs."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,957 Americans carry the last name Dalal. That puts it at #11,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 115,913 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dalal 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 Dalal with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.0K
1 in 115,913
Census rank
#11,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,579 bearers of the surname Dalal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dalal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.2%. The next largest groups are White (10.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dalal
The surname Dalal is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in regions like Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "dalala," which means "broker" or "middleman." This suggests that the name was likely associated with individuals who worked as intermediaries or facilitators in various trades or transactions.
In ancient India, individuals often adopted surnames based on their occupations or professions. The Dalal surname may have been given to individuals who acted as brokers or middlemen in commercial activities, facilitating the exchange of goods and services between buyers and sellers.
The earliest recorded references to the Dalal surname can be traced back to medieval times in India. Historical records and manuscripts from that era mention individuals with this surname, particularly in the context of trade and commerce.
One notable example is Virji Vora Dalal, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in Gujarat during the 16th century. He was known for his successful business ventures and is mentioned in several contemporary accounts as a respected figure in the mercantile community.
Another early example is Govind Dalal, a merchant from Rajasthan who lived in the 17th century. He was involved in the trade of spices and textiles, and his name appears in various historical documents related to trade and commerce during that period.
In the 18th century, Malhar Rao Dalal was a renowned military leader and strategist who served under the Maratha Empire. He played a crucial role in several battles and is remembered for his tactical skills and bravery.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Naoroji Dalal was a prominent Indian businessman and philanthropist based in Mumbai. He was actively involved in various charitable initiatives and is remembered for his contributions to education and social welfare.
Ganpatrao Dalal, born in 1872, was a notable Indian freedom fighter and social reformer. He participated in the Indian independence movement and worked towards promoting education and addressing social issues.
While the Dalal surname has its roots in India, individuals with this surname can now be found in various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical origins and significance of the name remain deeply rooted in the Indian subcontinent and its rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dalal
Among Census respondents with the surname Dalal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.2%. The next largest groups are White (10.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Dalal 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 Dalal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander84.2% · 2,171
- White10.5% · 270
- Two or more races3.1% · 79
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 34
- Black or African American0.9% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dalal
Dalal 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
#14,286
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,096
+671 bearers (+47.1%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Up 3,759 places
2020
#11,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,579
+483 bearers (+23.0%)
Per 100,000 0.86
Rank movement Up 2,647 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,045 | 1,425 | 0.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,286 | 2,096 | 0.71 | +671 bearers (+47.1%) | Up 3,759 places |
| 2020 | #11,639 | 2,579 | 0.86 | +483 bearers (+23.0%) | Up 2,647 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 Dalal 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 | #14,286 | #11,639 | 18.5% |
| Count | 2,096 | 2,579 | 23.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.86 | 21.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dalal bearers went from 2,096 to 2,579 (+23.0% change). The surname moved up 2,647 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,286 to #11,639.
FAQ
Dalal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dalal?
Name Census estimates that about 2,957 living Americans carry the surname Dalal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 115,913 residents.
How common is Dalal?
Dalal ranks #11,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.86 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 2,579 people with the surname Dalal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,957), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.86 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 Dalal.
Has Dalal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dalal went from 2,096 recorded bearers to 2,579. That is an increase of 483 (+23.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,286 to #11,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Dalal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dalal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.2%. The next largest groups are White (10.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Dalal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.2% (2,171 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dalal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (84.2%), White (10.5%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Dalal (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 Dalal mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "guide" or "one who leads or directs." 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 Dalal (0.86 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 share the surname Dalal?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.