2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Karri
A surname originating from India or Pakistan, derived from the name of the Karri tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 747 Americans carry the last name Karri. That puts it at #36,891 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 458,841 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Karri 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
747
1 in 458,841
Census rank
#36,891
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
651
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 651 bearers of the surname Karri in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36891st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Karri, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Karri
The surname Karri has its origins in India, specifically in the southern state of Karnataka. The name can be traced back to the 13th century and is believed to be derived from the Kannada word "kari," which means "black."
In the ancient Hindu caste system, the name Karri was associated with the Kshatriya caste, which comprised rulers, warriors, and landowners. It is speculated that the name was initially given to individuals with darker complexions or those who worked in professions that involved exposure to soot or charcoal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karri can be found in the Vijayanagar Empire's inscriptions from the 14th century. These inscriptions mention the name in reference to prominent military commanders and administrators who served under the Vijayanagar rulers.
During the 16th century, the name Karri gained prominence in the Deccan region of India, particularly in the Maratha Empire. The Maratha archives from this period mention several notable individuals bearing the name, including Karri Shivaji Raje, a prominent military leader who served under the legendary Maratha ruler, Shivaji.
In the 18th century, the name Karri was also found in the records of the Nizam of Hyderabad's court, where several individuals with this surname held influential positions as advisors and diplomats.
One of the most renowned figures with the surname Karri was Karri Anant Shastri (1866-1941), a prominent scholar and linguist from Karnataka. He made significant contributions to the study of Kannada literature and was instrumental in the revival of the ancient Kannada script.
Another notable person with the surname Karri was Karri Venkateswara Rao (1892-1963), a renowned Indian playwright and novelist who wrote extensively in the Telugu language. His works, such as "Mricchakatika" and "Uttara Ramacharita," are considered classics in Telugu literature.
The name Karri has also been associated with several place names in Karnataka, such as Karri Village and Karri Nagar, further solidifying its roots in the region.
Throughout history, the surname Karri has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from warriors and rulers to scholars and artists, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of this name in India.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Karri
Among Census respondents with the surname Karri, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Karri 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 Karri surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.4% · 621
- White2.6% · 17
- Two or more races1.5% · 10
- Black or African American0.3% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Karri
Karri 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
#59,171
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 342
+231 bearers (+208.1%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 79,570 places
2020
#36,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 651
+309 bearers (+90.4%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Up 22,280 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #59,171 | 342 | 0.12 | +231 bearers (+208.1%) | Up 79,570 places |
| 2020 | #36,891 | 651 | 0.22 | +309 bearers (+90.4%) | Up 22,280 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 Karri 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 | #59,171 | #36,891 | 37.7% |
| Count | 342 | 651 | 90.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.22 | 81.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Karri bearers went from 342 to 651 (+90.4% change). The surname moved up 22,280 positions in the national ranking, going from #59,171 to #36,891.
FAQ
Karri surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Karri?
Name Census estimates that about 747 living Americans carry the surname Karri. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 458,841 residents.
How common is Karri?
Karri ranks #36,891 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 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 651 people with the surname Karri. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (747), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 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 Karri.
Has Karri become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Karri went from 342 recorded bearers to 651. That is an increase of 309 (+90.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #59,171 to #36,891.
What does the Census say about the background of Karri?
Among Census respondents with the surname Karri, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) 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 Karri in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (621 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Karri appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.4%), White (2.6%), 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 Karri (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 Karri mean?
A surname originating from India or Pakistan, derived from the name of the Karri tree. 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 Karri (0.22 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 Karri?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Karri at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.