2010
#77,522
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 247
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Karanam
A surname indicating one's caste or occupation as a priest or purohit.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 624 Americans carry the last name Karanam. That puts it at #42,858 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 549,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Karanam 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
624
1 in 549,286
Census rank
#42,858
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
544
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 544 bearers of the surname Karanam in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 42858th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Karanam, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Karanam
The surname KARANAM has its origins in South India, particularly in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th to 15th centuries.
KARANAM is derived from the Telugu word "Karanam," which means a person belonging to the traditional Brahmin caste who performed religious rituals and ceremonies. The name is closely associated with the Niyogi Brahmin community, known for their expertise in astrology, astronomy, and Vedic studies.
One of the earliest documented references to the KARANAM surname can be found in the inscriptions and copper plate grants from the Kakatiya Dynasty, which ruled the Andhra region between the 12th and 14th centuries. These inscriptions often mentioned the names of scholars, priests, and astronomers who held the KARANAM surname.
A notable historical figure bearing the KARANAM surname was Gangadhar Bhatta KARANAM, a renowned astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 16th century. He authored several works on astronomy, including the "Grahanadipika," which provided detailed explanations of eclipses and celestial phenomena.
Another prominent individual was Mallikarjuna KARANAM, a renowned scholar and poet from the 17th century. He was a prolific writer and authored numerous works in Sanskrit and Telugu, including the epic poem "Narayana Satakamu," which celebrated the virtues of Lord Vishnu.
In the 18th century, Venkatarama KARANAM gained recognition as a distinguished astrologer and astronomer. He served as the court astrologer to the Nizam rulers of Hyderabad and made significant contributions to the field of astrology through his writings and predictions.
During the 19th century, Subbarayudu KARANAM was a prominent figure known for his literary works and expertise in Telugu grammar and poetics. He authored several texts on Telugu language and literature, which became influential resources for scholars and students.
Throughout history, the KARANAM surname has been associated with scholarly pursuits, particularly in the fields of astrology, astronomy, Vedic studies, and literature. While the name originated in South India, individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions to various fields of knowledge and played important roles in preserving and advancing traditional Indian culture and learning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Karanam
Among Census respondents with the surname Karanam, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Karanam 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 Karanam surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.0% · 522
- White1.5% · 8
- Two or more races1.1% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Karanam
Karanam 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
#42,858
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 544
+297 bearers (+120.2%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Up 34,664 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #77,522 | 247 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #42,858 | 544 | 0.18 | +297 bearers (+120.2%) | Up 34,664 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 Karanam 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 | #77,522 | #42,858 | 44.7% |
| Count | 247 | 544 | 120.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.18 | 127.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Karanam bearers went from 247 to 544 (+120.2% change). The surname moved up 34,664 positions in the national ranking, going from #77,522 to #42,858.
FAQ
Karanam surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Karanam?
Name Census estimates that about 624 living Americans carry the surname Karanam. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 549,286 residents.
How common is Karanam?
Karanam ranks #42,858 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.18 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 544 people with the surname Karanam. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (624), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.18 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 Karanam.
Has Karanam become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Karanam went from 247 recorded bearers to 544. That is an increase of 297 (+120.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #77,522 to #42,858.
What does the Census say about the background of Karanam?
Among Census respondents with the surname Karanam, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Karanam in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (522 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Karanam appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.0%), White (1.5%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Karanam (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 Karanam mean?
A surname indicating one's caste or occupation as a priest or purohit. 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 Karanam (0.18 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 last name Karanam?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Karanam on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.