Gura last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Gura is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gura.

Meaning of Gura

A surname derived from the Romanian word meaning "mouth" or "opening".

Gura, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gura in America

Gura is the 26313th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gura surname appeared 928 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gura to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 26313 25430 3.41%
Count 928 914 1.52%
Proportion per 100k 0.31 0.34 -9.23%

The history of the last name Gura

The surname GURA has its origins in India, where it first emerged in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "gura," meaning "teacher" or "spiritual guide." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify those who held positions of reverence and respect within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GURA name can be found in a collection of religious texts from the Vijayanagar Empire, dated to the late 16th century. These texts make reference to a scholar and philosopher named Govinda GURA, who was renowned for his teachings on Hindu philosophy and spirituality.

As the name spread beyond its initial geographic origins, it underwent several spelling variations, including GORA, GOORA, and GHOORA. These variations can be found in various historical records and manuscripts from different regions of India, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that shaped the name over time.

In the 18th century, the GURA name gained prominence with the birth of Shyamji Krishna GURA (1756-1828), a prominent Indian philosopher and writer. His works on Vedanta philosophy and Hindu theology were widely acclaimed and contributed to the spread of the GURA name among intellectual and religious circles.

Another notable figure bearing the GURA name was Hari Govind GURA (1870-1942), a prominent political activist and advocate for Indian independence from British rule. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and was imprisoned multiple times for his involvement in various protests and demonstrations.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the GURA name also gained recognition in the field of education. One such individual was Ramakrishna GURA (1885-1963), a renowned educator and philanthropist who established several schools and colleges in various parts of India, with a focus on providing quality education to underprivileged communities.

In more recent times, the GURA name has been associated with various fields, including academia, literature, and the arts. One notable example is Anita GURA (born 1956), a celebrated Indian author and journalist known for her works on social and cultural issues.

While the GURA name originated in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply embedded in the rich cultural tapestry of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gura

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gura.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gura was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.72% 879
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.97% 9
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.29% 12
Hispanic Origin 2.59% 24

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gura has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.72% 95.08% -0.38%
Black 0.97% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.77% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.29% 1.20% 7.23%
Hispanic 2.59% 2.19% 16.74%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gura was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gura, please contact us.

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"Gura last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/gura-surname-popularity/.

"Gura last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/gura-surname-popularity/. Accessed 2 May, 2025

Gura last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/gura-surname-popularity/.

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