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

Kaur, 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 Kaur surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaur in America

Kaur is the 711th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaur surname appeared 48,753 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Kaur.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaur 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 Kaur

The surname Kaur originated in the Punjab region of South Asia, particularly in present-day India and Pakistan. It is a Punjabi name that dates back to the 16th century, during the time of the Sikh Gurus. Kaur is a title given to all Sikh females, regardless of their family name or lineage.

The word Kaur is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Kumari,' which means princess or maiden. It signifies honor, respect, and dignity for Sikh women. The name Kaur was introduced by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, as a way to promote gender equality and empower women within the Sikh community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kaur can be found in the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, which contains writings from various Sikh Gurus and saints from the 16th to the 18th century. Notable examples of women with the name Kaur mentioned in the scripture include Mata Khivi Kaur, the wife of Guru Angad Dev, and Mata Ganga Kaur, the wife of Guru Arjan Dev.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Kaur. These include Maharani Jind Kaur (1817-1863), who ruled as the regent of the Sikh Empire after the death of her husband, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Another prominent figure was Ajai Kaur (1917-1976), an Indian politician and social activist who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement.

Other notable individuals with the surname Kaur include Bibi Nanki Kaur (1556-1618), the elder sister of Guru Arjan Dev, who was instrumental in spreading the teachings of Sikhism; Mata Sahib Kaur (1681-1747), the mother of Guru Gobind Singh and a renowned poet; and Rani Rajinder Kaur (1872-1909), a Sikh princess and patron of arts and literature.

It is important to note that while Kaur is primarily associated with the Sikh community, it has also been adopted by some Hindu and Muslim families in the Punjab region, particularly those with close ties to Sikh culture and traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaur

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

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

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

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