2010
#29,117
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 814
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.28
Rare Last name
Dhakal
An occupational surname likely originating in Nepal, possibly indicating a manufacturer or trader of shields.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,664 Americans carry the last name Dhakal. That puts it at #12,691 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,662 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dhakal 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 Dhakal with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 128,662
Census rank
#12,691
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,323 bearers of the surname Dhakal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12691st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dhakal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.9%. The next largest groups are White (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dhakal
The surname "DHAKAL" is of Nepali origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period in the Himalayas. It is believed to have originated from the Nepali word "dhakali," which refers to individuals from the Dhakali region, a mountainous area located in the western part of Nepal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "DHAKAL" can be found in ancient chronicles and manuscripts detailing the history of the Khas kingdom, a medieval Himalayan dynasty that ruled over parts of present-day Nepal and India. These records mention prominent figures bearing the surname "DHAKAL" who held influential positions within the kingdom's administration and military.
The name "DHAKAL" is also closely associated with the Khas people, an ethnic group native to the Himalayan regions of Nepal and India. The Khas were known for their prowess in agriculture and warfare, and many families adopted the surname "DHAKAL" to signify their connection to this influential community.
During the 16th century, a renowned Nepali poet and playwright named Bhanubhakta Acharya (1814-1868) emerged from the DHAKAL lineage. His literary works, which celebrated Nepali culture and language, played a significant role in the renaissance of Nepali literature and the preservation of the country's rich cultural heritage.
Another notable figure with the surname "DHAKAL" was Gagan Singh Dhakal (1919-2000), a prominent Nepali politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1969 to 1970. He was instrumental in shaping Nepal's foreign policy and was widely respected for his diplomatic efforts in strengthening the country's international relations.
In the realm of sports, Prakash Dhakal (born 1993) is a Nepali cricketer who has represented the Nepali national cricket team in various international tournaments. His achievements on the cricket field have brought pride and recognition to the DHAKAL name.
The surname "DHAKAL" has also been carried by several distinguished scholars and academics, including Shyam Dhakal (born 1957), a renowned Nepali linguist and author who has made significant contributions to the study of Nepali language and literature.
While the name "DHAKAL" has its roots in the Himalayan region, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in diverse fields and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dhakal
Among Census respondents with the surname Dhakal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.9%. The next largest groups are White (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Dhakal 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 Dhakal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.9% · 2,252
- White1.2% · 28
- Two or more races1.1% · 26
- Black or African American0.4% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dhakal
Dhakal appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#12,691
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,323
+1,509 bearers (+185.4%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Up 16,426 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #29,117 | 814 | 0.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #12,691 | 2,323 | 0.78 | +1,509 bearers (+185.4%) | Up 16,426 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 Dhakal 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 | #29,117 | #12,691 | 56.4% |
| Count | 814 | 2,323 | 185.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.28 | 0.78 | 177.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dhakal bearers went from 814 to 2,323 (+185.4% change). The surname moved up 16,426 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,117 to #12,691.
FAQ
Dhakal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dhakal?
Name Census estimates that about 2,664 living Americans carry the surname Dhakal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,662 residents.
How common is Dhakal?
Dhakal ranks #12,691 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 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 2,323 people with the surname Dhakal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,664), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 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 Dhakal.
Has Dhakal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dhakal went from 814 recorded bearers to 2,323. That is an increase of 1,509 (+185.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #29,117 to #12,691.
What does the Census say about the background of Dhakal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dhakal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.9%. The next largest groups are White (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Dhakal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (2,252 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dhakal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.9%), White (1.2%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Dhakal (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 Dhakal mean?
An occupational surname likely originating in Nepal, possibly indicating a manufacturer or trader of shields. 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 Dhakal (0.78 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 have the last name Dhakal?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Dhakal? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.