2010
#24,934
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 997
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.34
Rare Last name
Khanal
A surname meaning "person from the highlands" in Nepali language.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,938 Americans carry the last name Khanal. That puts it at #11,698 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 116,662 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khanal 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
2.9K
1 in 116,662
Census rank
#11,698
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,562 bearers of the surname Khanal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11698th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khanal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.9%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khanal
The surname KHANAL originated in Nepal, a country located in South Asia. Its roots can be traced back to the 14th century, when it was primarily used by families residing in the central and western regions of the country.
The name KHANAL is believed to have derived from the ancient Nepali word "khanal," which referred to a person responsible for managing and maintaining royal granaries or storehouses. This occupation held significant importance in the agrarian societies of the time, as it ensured the secure storage and distribution of grains and other essential food supplies.
Historical records from the Malla period (1201-1768 CE) in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley mention individuals bearing the KHANAL surname. One notable figure was Khanal Thapa, a prominent military commander and governor who served under the Malla kings in the 16th century.
In the 18th century, the KHANAL surname gained further prominence during the unification of Nepal by King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Several members of the KHANAL family played crucial roles in the military campaigns and administrative affairs of the newly consolidated Nepali state.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KHANAL surname can be found in the genealogical records of the Basnyat family, a prominent clan of the Khas ethnic group in Nepal. These records mention a Khanal Basnyat, who lived in the mid-17th century and served as a high-ranking official in the court of the Malla kings.
Throughout the centuries, the KHANAL surname has been associated with several notable figures in Nepali history. Here are five examples:
1. Bhimsen Khanal (1775-1839), a prominent military leader and statesman during the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah.
2. Dharma Bhakta Mathema Khanal (1801-1865), a renowned poet and writer who contributed significantly to the development of Nepali literature.
3. Bam Bahadur Khanal (1865-1947), a respected scholar and educator who played a vital role in establishing modern education in Nepal.
4. Bishweshwar Prasad Khanal (1914-1988), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1983 to 1986.
5. Pushpa Kamal Khanal (born 1950), a veteran politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal, who held office from 2011 to 2012.
The surname KHANAL continues to be widely used in Nepal, particularly among families with roots in the central and western regions of the country. It has become a symbol of the rich cultural heritage and historical significance associated with the management of vital resources in the country's agrarian past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khanal
Among Census respondents with the surname Khanal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.9%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Khanal 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 Khanal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander97.9% · 2,507
- White0.8% · 21
- Two or more races0.8% · 21
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 8
- Black or African American0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khanal
Khanal 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
#11,698
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,562
+1,565 bearers (+157.0%)
Per 100,000 0.86
Rank movement Up 13,236 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #24,934 | 997 | 0.34 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #11,698 | 2,562 | 0.86 | +1,565 bearers (+157.0%) | Up 13,236 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 Khanal 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 | #24,934 | #11,698 | 53.1% |
| Count | 997 | 2,562 | 157.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.34 | 0.86 | 152.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khanal bearers went from 997 to 2,562 (+157.0% change). The surname moved up 13,236 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,934 to #11,698.
FAQ
Khanal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khanal?
Name Census estimates that about 2,938 living Americans carry the surname Khanal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 116,662 residents.
How common is Khanal?
Khanal ranks #11,698 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,562 people with the surname Khanal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,938), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.86 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Khanal.
Has Khanal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khanal went from 997 recorded bearers to 2,562. That is an increase of 1,565 (+157.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #24,934 to #11,698.
What does the Census say about the background of Khanal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khanal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.9%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Khanal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.9% (2,507 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khanal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (97.9%), White (0.8%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Khanal (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 Khanal mean?
A surname meaning "person from the highlands" in Nepali language. 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 Khanal (0.86 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 last name Khanal?
You can see how many people have the surname Khanal on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.