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

Kapur, 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 Kapur surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kapur in America

Kapur is the 19062nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kapur surname appeared 1,428 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 Kapur.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kapur 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.

The history of the last name Kapur

The surname "KAPUR" is of Indian origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Sanskrit language and culture. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the states of Punjab and Haryana, during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KAPUR" can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it is mentioned as a caste or occupational title. The word "Kapur" is derived from the Sanskrit term "Karpura," which refers to the camphor tree and its fragrant resin. It is speculated that the name was originally associated with individuals involved in the trade or production of camphor, a highly valued commodity in ancient times.

In the 12th century, the name "KAPUR" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, particularly those related to the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. One notable figure bearing this name was Sher Shah Suri (1486-1545), a powerful Afghan ruler who briefly interrupted the Mughal dynasty and established the Sur Empire in northern India.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name "KAPUR" gained prominence among the Hindu Khatri community, which was known for its involvement in trade and business. Many successful merchants and traders from this community bore the surname "KAPUR," and their influence extended across various regions of the Indian subcontinent.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "KAPUR" was Rai Krishan Das Kapur (1685-1755), a renowned Hindu philosopher and spiritual leader who authored several texts on Vedanta and Sikhism. Another notable figure was Lala Harbhajan Singh Kapur (1857-1933), a prominent businessman and philanthropist who founded the iconic Kapur Talkies, one of the first movie theaters in Lahore, British India.

In the 20th century, several individuals with the surname "KAPUR" achieved distinction in various fields. Nayantara Sahgal (born 1927), a renowned Indian writer and niece of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, bears the maiden name "KAPUR." Shamsher Singh Kapur (1923-2015) was a renowned Punjabi film producer and director, known for his contributions to the Indian cinema industry.

Other notable figures with the surname "KAPUR" include Ravi Kapoor (born 1957), a celebrated Indian classical musician and sitar player, and Raj Kapur (1924-1988), a legendary actor, producer, and director who was instrumental in shaping the Indian film industry during the 1950s and 1960s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kapur

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

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 Kapur was:

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 Kapur has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Kapur was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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