2000
#34,799
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 614
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Very Rare Last name
Karman
A surname of Armenian origin meaning "cultivator" or "farmer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 777 Americans carry the last name Karman. That puts it at #35,675 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 441,125 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Karman 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
777
1 in 441,125
Census rank
#35,675
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
678
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 678 bearers of the surname Karman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 35675th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Karman, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Karman
The surname Karman originates from India, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "karma," which refers to the principle of cause and effect in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The name was likely adopted by individuals or families who were associated with the study or practice of this concept.
In ancient Indian texts and manuscripts, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, the term "karma" is frequently mentioned and discussed in depth. While no specific historical records directly reference the surname Karman, its connection to this profound philosophical concept is well established.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Karman was Ravi Karman, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 17th century. He authored several influential works on the interpretation and application of karmic principles in daily life.
During the 18th century, the Karman family gained prominence in the region of Maharashtra, India. Shivaji Karman, born in 1725, was a respected military leader and strategist who played a pivotal role in the Maratha Empire's expansion and defense against foreign invasions.
In the 19th century, Anand Karman, born in 1842, was a celebrated poet and writer whose works explored the interplay between karma and human emotions. His poetic anthology, "Karmic Reflections," is widely studied and appreciated to this day.
Another notable figure with the surname Karman was Meera Karman, a pioneering social activist who lived from 1890 to 1978. She dedicated her life to advocating for women's rights and education, establishing several schools and vocational training centers across India.
The surname Karman has also been associated with various place names in India, such as Karmanagar, a town in the state of Uttar Pradesh, and Karmanvati, a historic city in present-day Gujarat. These place names may have derived from the same linguistic roots as the surname, further solidifying its connection to the region's cultural and spiritual heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Karman
Among Census respondents with the surname Karman, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Karman 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 Karman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.6% · 601
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 24
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.5% · 24
- Two or more races2.4% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 7
- Black or African American0.9% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Karman
Karman 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
#36,736
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 608
-6 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.21
Rank movement Down 1,937 places
2020
#35,675
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 678
+70 bearers (+11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Up 1,061 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #34,799 | 614 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #36,736 | 608 | 0.21 | -6 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 1,937 places |
| 2020 | #35,675 | 678 | 0.23 | +70 bearers (+11.5%) | Up 1,061 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 Karman 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 | #36,736 | #35,675 | 2.9% |
| Count | 608 | 678 | 11.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.21 | 0.23 | 8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Karman bearers went from 608 to 678 (+11.5% change). The surname moved up 1,061 positions in the national ranking, going from #36,736 to #35,675.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Karman
FAQ
Karman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Karman?
Name Census estimates that about 777 living Americans carry the surname Karman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 441,125 residents.
How common is Karman?
Karman ranks #35,675 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.23 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 678 people with the surname Karman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (777), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.23 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 Karman.
Has Karman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Karman went from 608 recorded bearers to 678. That is an increase of 70 (+11.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #36,736 to #35,675.
What does the Census say about the background of Karman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Karman, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Karman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.6% (601 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Karman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.6%), Hispanic (3.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%). 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 Karman (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 Karman mean?
A surname of Armenian origin meaning "cultivator" or "farmer". 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 Karman (0.23 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 Karman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.