2000
#38,079
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 547
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.20
Rare Last name
Jha
An Indian surname indicating Brahmin heritage and origins in the Bihar region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,652 Americans carry the last name Jha. That puts it at #9,724 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 93,854 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jha 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 Jha with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 93,854
Census rank
#9,724
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,185 bearers of the surname Jha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9724th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jha
The surname Jha originates from the Indian subcontinent, with its roots traced back to ancient times. It is primarily found in the northern regions of India, particularly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of West Bengal. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "jha," which means "knowledge" or "wisdom."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jha surname can be found in the Puranic texts, which are ancient Hindu scriptures. These texts mention individuals bearing the title "Jha," indicating their scholarly prowess and deep understanding of various subjects, including philosophy, astrology, and literature.
During the medieval period, the Jha surname was closely associated with the Maithili Brahmin community, a prestigious group known for their intellectual and scholarly pursuits. Many prominent figures from this community, such as poets, writers, and scholars, carried the Jha surname, contributing significantly to the rich cultural heritage of the region.
One notable example is Vidyapati Thakur (1352-1448), a celebrated poet and philosopher from the Maithili Brahmin community. His literary works, written in the Maithili and Sanskrit languages, are considered masterpieces and have had a profound influence on the literary traditions of the region.
Another prominent figure with the Jha surname is Ganganath Jha (1871-1941), a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study and interpretation of ancient Indian texts, particularly the Nyaya and Vaisesika philosophies. His translations and commentaries on these texts are widely acclaimed and studied to this day.
In the field of mathematics, Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Jha (1928-2002) stands out as a distinguished mathematician and educator. He made notable contributions to the field of algebra and was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his exceptional work.
The Jha surname has also been associated with various other professions and fields, such as law, politics, and administration. One notable figure is Rajendra Prasad Jha (1923-2003), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from 1975 to 1977.
While the Jha surname has its roots in ancient India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the name remains closely tied to its Indian heritage and continues to be a source of pride and cultural identity for those who bear it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jha
Among Census respondents with the surname Jha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Jha 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 Jha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.1% · 3,029
- White2.4% · 76
- Two or more races1.5% · 49
- Black or African American0.4% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jha
Jha 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
#18,317
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,513
+966 bearers (+176.6%)
Per 100,000 0.51
Rank movement Up 19,762 places
2020
#9,724
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,185
+1,672 bearers (+110.5%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 8,593 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #38,079 | 547 | 0.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,317 | 1,513 | 0.51 | +966 bearers (+176.6%) | Up 19,762 places |
| 2020 | #9,724 | 3,185 | 1.07 | +1,672 bearers (+110.5%) | Up 8,593 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 Jha 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 | #18,317 | #9,724 | 46.9% |
| Count | 1,513 | 3,185 | 110.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.51 | 1.07 | 108.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jha bearers went from 1,513 to 3,185 (+110.5% change). The surname moved up 8,593 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,317 to #9,724.
FAQ
Jha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jha?
Name Census estimates that about 3,652 living Americans carry the surname Jha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 93,854 residents.
How common is Jha?
Jha ranks #9,724 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.07 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 3,185 people with the surname Jha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,652), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.07 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 Jha.
Has Jha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jha went from 1,513 recorded bearers to 3,185. That is an increase of 1,672 (+110.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,317 to #9,724.
What does the Census say about the background of Jha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Jha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (3,029 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.1%), White (2.4%), Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Jha (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 Jha mean?
An Indian surname indicating Brahmin heritage and origins in the Bihar region. 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 Jha (1.07 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 are called Jha?
See how many people have the surname Jha on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.