2000
#22,322
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,077
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.40
Rare Last name
Dass
A surname of Indian origin meaning "servant" or "slave".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,123 Americans carry the last name Dass. That puts it at #15,273 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,448 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dass 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 Dass with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 161,448
Census rank
#15,273
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,851 bearers of the surname Dass in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15273rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dass, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.2%. The next largest groups are White (20.0%) and Black (10.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dass
The surname DASS is of Indian origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "das," which means servant or devotee.
In ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, the term "das" was often used to denote one's devotion to a higher power or deity. It was a title of respect and humility, signifying a person's spiritual inclination and dedication. The name DASS may have been adopted by individuals or families who considered themselves devoted followers of a particular religious or spiritual path.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name DASS can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. It lists several individuals with the surname DASS holding positions in the imperial court or serving as local administrators.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name DASS gained prominence in various regions of northern India. Prominent figures bearing this surname include Bhai Mati Das (1661-1675), a revered Sikh martyr who sacrificed his life for his faith, and Guru Gobind Singh Das (1666-1708), the tenth and final Sikh Guru, who played a crucial role in shaping the Sikh religion.
In the 19th century, Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824-1883), a renowned Hindu scholar and social reformer, was born Mulashankar DASS. He founded the Arya Samaj, a influential Hindu reform movement that aimed to revive the Vedic teachings and promote education and social progress.
Another notable figure was Sir Chhotu Ram DASS (1881-1945), a prominent politician and social activist from Punjab, who advocated for the rights of peasants and worked towards the upliftment of the rural population.
In more recent times, Khushwant Singh DASS (1915-2014), a renowned Indian writer, journalist, and diplomat, gained international recognition for his literary works, including his iconic novel "Train to Pakistan," which explored the tragic events surrounding the Partition of India.
The surname DASS has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, politicians, and social reformers. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit roots, the name has become a part of the diverse cultural tapestry of the Indian subcontinent, representing a rich heritage of devotion, humility, and service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dass
Among Census respondents with the surname Dass, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.2%. The next largest groups are White (20.0%) and Black (10.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Dass 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 Dass surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander57.2% · 1,059
- White20.0% · 371
- Black or African American10.3% · 191
- Two or more races6.6% · 122
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 78
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.6% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dass
Dass 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
#18,888
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,446
+369 bearers (+34.3%)
Per 100,000 0.49
Rank movement Up 3,434 places
2020
#15,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,851
+405 bearers (+28.0%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 3,615 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #22,322 | 1,077 | 0.40 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,888 | 1,446 | 0.49 | +369 bearers (+34.3%) | Up 3,434 places |
| 2020 | #15,273 | 1,851 | 0.62 | +405 bearers (+28.0%) | Up 3,615 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 Dass 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 | #18,888 | #15,273 | 19.1% |
| Count | 1,446 | 1,851 | 28.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.49 | 0.62 | 26.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dass bearers went from 1,446 to 1,851 (+28.0% change). The surname moved up 3,615 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,888 to #15,273.
FAQ
Dass surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dass?
Name Census estimates that about 2,123 living Americans carry the surname Dass. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 161,448 residents.
How common is Dass?
Dass ranks #15,273 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 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 1,851 people with the surname Dass. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 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 Dass.
Has Dass become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dass went from 1,446 recorded bearers to 1,851. That is an increase of 405 (+28.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,888 to #15,273.
What does the Census say about the background of Dass?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dass, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.2%. The next largest groups are White (20.0%) and Black (10.3%). 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 Dass in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.2% (1,059 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dass appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (57.2%), White (20.0%), Black (10.3%). 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 Dass (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 Dass mean?
A surname of Indian origin meaning "servant" or "slave". 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 Dass (0.62 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 common is the surname Dass?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Dass on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.