2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Jata
A surname originating in India, likely derived from the Sanskrit jata meaning "matted hair" or a caste name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Jata. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jata 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Jata in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jata, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jata
The surname JATA has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
The name JATA is derived from the Sanskrit word "jata," which means "matted hair" or "dreadlocks." This term was often associated with ascetics and holy men who wore their hair in this distinctive style as a symbol of their spiritual devotion.
One of the earliest recorded references to the surname JATA can be found in ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, where it was used to identify individuals or families with a connection to the ascetic tradition or those who followed a particular spiritual path.
The name JATA has also been found in various historical records and manuscripts from the Mughal era in India, such as court chronicles and administrative documents. These records often mentioned individuals bearing the surname JATA, indicating their presence and influence during that period.
One notable figure from history who bore the surname JATA was Swami Jatadhari, a revered Hindu saint and spiritual leader who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his teachings on self-realization and his contributions to the Bhakti movement, which emphasizes devotion and love for the divine.
Another prominent individual with the surname JATA was Jagannath Jata, a renowned scholar and poet from the 17th century. He was a prolific writer and is celebrated for his works in Sanskrit literature, particularly his compositions on Hindu philosophy and mythology.
In the 18th century, Rani Jata Kumari was a notable figure from Rajasthan, India. She was a courageous and influential ruler who played a pivotal role in defending her kingdom against invading forces and ensuring the safety of her subjects.
During the 19th century, Pandit Jata Prasad was a renowned scholar and linguist from northern India. He was widely respected for his expertise in Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic languages, and his contributions to the preservation and promotion of ancient Indian literature and culture.
The surname JATA has also been associated with various place names and localities in India, such as Jata Village in Uttar Pradesh and Jata Khurd in Punjab, indicating the geographic spread and presence of individuals bearing this name across different regions.
While the surname JATA has its roots in India, it has also gained recognition and prominence in other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange, carrying with it the rich historical and spiritual significance associated with its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jata
Among Census respondents with the surname Jata, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Jata 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 Jata surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.0% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino7.5% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.3% · 4
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jata
Jata 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
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+18 bearers (+17.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 16,383 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+17.6%) | Up 16,383 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 Jata 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 | #158,432 | #142,049 | 10.3% |
| Count | 102 | 120 | 17.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 33.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jata bearers went from 102 to 120 (+17.6% change). The surname moved up 16,383 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #142,049.
FAQ
Jata surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jata?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Jata. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Jata?
Jata ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Jata. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Jata.
Has Jata become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jata went from 102 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 18 (+17.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Jata?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jata, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Jata in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.0% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jata appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.0%), Hispanic (7.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%). 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 Jata (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 Jata mean?
A surname originating in India, likely derived from the Sanskrit jata meaning "matted hair" or a caste name. 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 Jata (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 surname Jata?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.