2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Goombi
A surname derived from the Tamil word "gummi" meaning "forest dweller" or "woodsman."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Goombi. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Goombi 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.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Goombi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Goombi, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and White (8.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Goombi
The surname GOOMBI is believed to have originated from the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Punjab. The name can be traced back to the 16th century, when it was likely derived from the Sanskrit word "goomba," which means "protector" or "guardian."
The earliest recorded instances of the GOOMBI surname date back to the Mughal Empire, where it was used by members of the Rajput warrior caste. Historical records from this period suggest that the name was associated with individuals who served as military commanders or bodyguards to the Mughal rulers.
In the 17th century, the GOOMBI name gained prominence in the region of Rajasthan, where it was associated with several powerful clans and noble families. One notable individual from this era was Jai Singh Goombi (1602-1667), a prominent Rajput ruler and military commander who played a significant role in the expansion of the Mughal Empire under the reign of Shah Jahan.
During the British colonial period in India, the GOOMBI surname was also found in various administrative records and census documents. In the 19th century, Ganga Ram Goombi (1835-1901) was a renowned scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Punjabi literature and language.
As the Indian diaspora spread around the world, the GOOMBI surname also gained a presence in other countries. In the early 20th century, Mohan Singh Goombi (1890-1972) was a prominent activist and advocate for Indian independence in the United States, where he founded the Indian National Party of America.
Another notable figure with the GOOMBI surname was Sardar Bahadur Goombi (1912-1988), who served as a high-ranking official in the Indian Civil Service during the post-independence era and played a crucial role in the development of infrastructure and public works in various parts of the country.
While the GOOMBI surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the global reach and diversity of the Indian diaspora. However, the name continues to carry a strong connection to its historical origins and the cultural traditions of the Punjab region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Goombi
Among Census respondents with the surname Goombi, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and White (8.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Goombi 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 Goombi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native76.1% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 10
- White8.0% · 9
- Two or more races7.1% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Goombi
Goombi 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
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-3 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,072 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.6%) | Down 4,072 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 Goombi 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 | #143,149 | #147,221 | -2.8% |
| Count | 116 | 113 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Goombi bearers went from 116 to 113 (-2.6% change). The surname moved down 4,072 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #147,221.
FAQ
Goombi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Goombi?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Goombi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Goombi?
Goombi ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Goombi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Goombi.
Has Goombi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Goombi went from 116 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Goombi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Goombi, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and White (8.0%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Goombi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Goombi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (76.1%), Hispanic (8.8%), White (8.0%). 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 Goombi (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 Goombi mean?
A surname derived from the Tamil word "gummi" meaning "forest dweller" or "woodsman." 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 Goombi (0.04 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 Goombi?
You can see how many people have the last name Goombi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.