2000
#28,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 788
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.29
Rare Last name
Kamath
A surname originating in southern India, referring to people belonging to the Kamath community.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,125 Americans carry the last name Kamath. That puts it at #15,248 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,296 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kamath 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 Kamath with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 161,296
Census rank
#15,248
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,853 bearers of the surname Kamath in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15248th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kamath, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and White (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kamath
The surname "KAMATH" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern state of Karnataka. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Kamatha," which refers to a region or territory. The name is likely associated with individuals who hailed from or governed this particular territory in ancient times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "KAMATH" can be traced back to the 12th century, when it appeared in inscriptions and manuscripts from the Western Ganga dynasty, which ruled parts of present-day Karnataka. The name was prominently mentioned in the context of administrative officials and landowners during this period.
In the 14th century, the Vijayanagar Empire, which encompassed a significant portion of southern India, had several notable figures bearing the surname "KAMATH." One such individual was Madhava KAMATH, a renowned scholar and mathematician who contributed significantly to the field of astronomy and astrology.
During the 16th century, the "KAMATH" surname gained prominence in the coastal regions of Karnataka, particularly in the city of Udupi. The Kadri KAMATH family, which traces its roots back to this era, played a prominent role in the region's cultural and religious affairs, with many members serving as influential scholars and administrators in the Udupi Krishna Mutt.
In the 18th century, Govind Prabhu KAMATH, a renowned scholar and linguist, authored several literary works in the Kannada language, including translations of ancient texts. His contributions to the preservation and promotion of the Kannada language and literature earned him great respect and recognition.
Another notable figure with the surname "KAMATH" was Rama KAMATH, a 19th-century social reformer and educationist. She dedicated her life to promoting education among women and establishing schools in various parts of Karnataka. Her efforts helped empower and uplift the status of women in the region during a time when educational opportunities were limited.
While the surname "KAMATH" is predominantly found in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, it has also spread to other parts of the country and the world due to migration and diaspora. The name continues to hold significance and is associated with a rich cultural heritage rooted in the historical regions of Karnataka.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kamath
Among Census respondents with the surname Kamath, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and White (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Kamath 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 Kamath surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.7% · 1,699
- Two or more races4.0% · 74
- White3.3% · 61
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 11
- Black or African American0.3% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kamath
Kamath 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
#20,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,299
+511 bearers (+64.8%)
Per 100,000 0.44
Rank movement Up 8,040 places
2020
#15,248
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,853
+554 bearers (+42.6%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 5,201 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,489 | 788 | 0.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,449 | 1,299 | 0.44 | +511 bearers (+64.8%) | Up 8,040 places |
| 2020 | #15,248 | 1,853 | 0.62 | +554 bearers (+42.6%) | Up 5,201 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 Kamath 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 | #20,449 | #15,248 | 25.4% |
| Count | 1,299 | 1,853 | 42.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.44 | 0.62 | 40.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kamath bearers went from 1,299 to 1,853 (+42.6% change). The surname moved up 5,201 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,449 to #15,248.
FAQ
Kamath surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kamath?
Name Census estimates that about 2,125 living Americans carry the surname Kamath. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 161,296 residents.
How common is Kamath?
Kamath ranks #15,248 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 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 1,853 people with the surname Kamath. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 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 Kamath.
Has Kamath become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kamath went from 1,299 recorded bearers to 1,853. That is an increase of 554 (+42.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #20,449 to #15,248.
What does the Census say about the background of Kamath?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kamath, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and White (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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kamath in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (1,699 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kamath appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.7%), Two or More Races (4.0%), White (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 Kamath (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 Kamath mean?
A surname originating in southern India, referring to people belonging to the Kamath community. 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 Kamath (0.62 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 share the surname Kamath?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.