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

Khaira, 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 Khaira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Khaira in America

Khaira is the 58337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Khaira surname appeared 348 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Khaira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Khaira 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 Khaira

The surname KHAIRA is of Indian origin, specifically from the Punjab region of northern India and eastern Pakistan. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Khadira," which means "acacia tree" or "catechu tree." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with people who lived near or worked with these trees.

The earliest recorded instances of the KHAIRA surname can be traced back to the 16th century in various administrative records and historical documents from the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent during that time. Some variations in spelling included Khera, Kheyra, and Khaire.

One notable historical figure bearing the KHAIRA surname was Bhai Mani Singh Khaira (1644-1734), a prominent Sikh scholar and theologian who played a crucial role in the compilation and preservation of the Adi Granth, the sacred scripture of Sikhism. He is revered for his contributions to the Sikh faith and his unwavering dedication to preserving the teachings of the Sikh Gurus.

Another significant figure was Sardar Harbans Singh Khaira (1905-1983), an Indian politician and member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the country's constitution. He served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly and was actively involved in the Indian independence movement.

In the field of literature, Jaswant Singh Khaira (1924-2022) was a renowned Punjabi poet and writer. He was the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri, for his contributions to Punjabi literature.

Historically, the KHAIRA surname has also been associated with certain place names in the Punjab region. For example, the village of Khaira in the Ludhiana district of Punjab, India, is believed to have been named after the KHAIRA community that resided there.

Another notable figure was Gurnam Singh Khaira (1931-2020), an Indian agricultural scientist and former Vice-Chancellor of the Punjab Agricultural University. He made significant contributions to the field of plant breeding and played a crucial role in the Green Revolution, which helped improve food security in India.

While the KHAIRA surname has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Punjab region and its rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Khaira

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

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

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

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