2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Kemraj
A surname of Indian origin, likely derived from the Sanskrit words "Kam" (desire) and "Raj" (king or ruler).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Kemraj. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kemraj 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Kemraj in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kemraj, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 43.4%. The next largest groups are Black (28.3%) and White (16.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kemraj
The surname KEMRAJ originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have roots dating back to the 15th century or earlier. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "Khem" meaning "happiness" or "prosperity" and "Raj" meaning "king" or "ruler." Therefore, the name KEMRAJ likely referred to someone who was prosperous or held a position of authority.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in a historical document from the Mughal Empire period, where a scribe named Kemraj was employed in the court of Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. Additionally, there are records of a renowned scholar and poet named Kemraj Sharma, who lived in the city of Varanasi in the early 17th century and authored several works on Hindu philosophy and literature.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Kemraj Singh was a prominent military leader who served under the Maratha Empire. He played a crucial role in several battles against the East India Company and earned recognition for his bravery and strategic skills.
Moving forward to the 19th century, there was a well-known educationist and social reformer named Kemraj Nanavati, who worked tirelessly to promote literacy and education among underprivileged communities in the region of Gujarat.
In more recent times, Kemraj Choudhary was a renowned environmental activist and conservationist from Rajasthan, who dedicated his life to protecting the fragile ecosystems of the Thar Desert and raising awareness about sustainable living practices.
The surname KEMRAJ has been found in various historical records, manuscripts, and literary works throughout the centuries, indicating its long-standing presence in the Indian subcontinent. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit roots, the name has undergone slight variations in spelling and pronunciation over time, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kemraj
Among Census respondents with the surname Kemraj, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 43.4%. The next largest groups are Black (28.3%) and White (16.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kemraj 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 Kemraj surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander43.4% · 46
- Black or African American28.3% · 30
- White16.0% · 17
- Two or more races5.7% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.8% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kemraj
Kemraj 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
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+5 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,373 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+5.0%) | Up 7,373 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 Kemraj 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 | #159,712 | #152,339 | 4.6% |
| Count | 101 | 106 | 5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kemraj bearers went from 101 to 106 (+5.0% change). The surname moved up 7,373 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #152,339.
FAQ
Kemraj surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kemraj?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Kemraj. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Kemraj?
Kemraj ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 106 people with the surname Kemraj. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Kemraj.
Has Kemraj become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kemraj went from 101 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 5 (+5.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Kemraj?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kemraj, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 43.4%. The next largest groups are Black (28.3%) and White (16.0%). 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 Kemraj in the 2020 Census, accounting for 43.4% (46 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kemraj appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (43.4%), Black (28.3%), White (16.0%). 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 Kemraj (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 Kemraj mean?
A surname of Indian origin, likely derived from the Sanskrit words "Kam" (desire) and "Raj" (king or ruler). 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 Kemraj (0.04 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 surname Kemraj?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.