2000
#14,370
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,910
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Khanna
A Punjabi surname indicating ancestry from the Khatri caste, traditionally associated with trading, accounting, and administrative professions.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,745 Americans carry the last name Khanna. That puts it at #7,713 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 72,235 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khanna 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Khanna with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.7K
1 in 72,235
Census rank
#7,713
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,138 bearers of the surname Khanna in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7713th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khanna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.7%. The next largest groups are White (6.3%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khanna
The surname Khanna originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the Punjab region. It is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Khana', which means 'mine' or 'quarry'. The name is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century AD.
The Khanna surname is primarily associated with the Khatri caste, a community of traders and merchants. The Khatris were known for their business acumen and played a significant role in the economic and commercial activities of the region. The name Khanna likely referred to those who were involved in the mining or quarrying industry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Khanna surname can be found in the 'Ain-i-Akbari', a 16th-century document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The document mentions a village named 'Khanna' in the Sirhind district of Punjab, which may have been the place of origin for those bearing the surname.
Among the notable individuals with the surname Khanna are Vinod Khanna (1946-2017), an acclaimed Bollywood actor who appeared in numerous popular films. Akshay Khanna (born 1975) is another renowned actor from the Khanna family, known for his versatile performances in Bollywood cinema.
The Khanna family also includes Virender Sehwag (born 1978), a former Indian cricketer who was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He is considered one of the most destructive opening batsmen in the history of the game.
In the field of literature, Sheekha Khanna (born 1967) is a renowned Indian novelist and short story writer. Her works explore themes of identity, relationships, and the complexities of modern life.
Another notable figure is Naveen Khanna (born 1971), an Indian entrepreneur and business executive who has held leadership positions in various multinational companies. He is known for his innovative approach and contributions to the technology industry.
Throughout history, the Khanna surname has been associated with various professions, including business, entertainment, sports, literature, and entrepreneurship. While the name originated in the Punjab region, individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions across various fields and continue to leave their mark on the global stage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khanna
Among Census respondents with the surname Khanna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.7%. The next largest groups are White (6.3%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Khanna 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 Khanna surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander86.7% · 3,588
- White6.3% · 261
- Two or more races4.9% · 201
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 49
- Black or African American0.6% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khanna
Khanna 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
#10,520
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,049
+1,139 bearers (+59.6%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Up 3,850 places
2020
#7,713
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,138
+1,089 bearers (+35.7%)
Per 100,000 1.38
Rank movement Up 2,807 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,370 | 1,910 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,520 | 3,049 | 1.03 | +1,139 bearers (+59.6%) | Up 3,850 places |
| 2020 | #7,713 | 4,138 | 1.38 | +1,089 bearers (+35.7%) | Up 2,807 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 Khanna 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 | #10,520 | #7,713 | 26.7% |
| Count | 3,049 | 4,138 | 35.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.03 | 1.38 | 34.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khanna bearers went from 3,049 to 4,138 (+35.7% change). The surname moved up 2,807 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,520 to #7,713.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Khanna
FAQ
Khanna surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khanna?
Name Census estimates that about 4,745 living Americans carry the surname Khanna. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 72,235 residents.
How common is Khanna?
Khanna ranks #7,713 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.38 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 4,138 people with the surname Khanna. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,745), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.38 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 Khanna.
Has Khanna become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khanna went from 3,049 recorded bearers to 4,138. That is an increase of 1,089 (+35.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,520 to #7,713.
What does the Census say about the background of Khanna?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khanna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.7%. The next largest groups are White (6.3%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Khanna in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (3,588 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khanna appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (86.7%), White (6.3%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Khanna (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 Khanna mean?
A Punjabi surname indicating ancestry from the Khatri caste, traditionally associated with trading, accounting, and administrative professions. 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 Khanna (1.38 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 common is the surname Khanna?
Find out how common the surname Khanna is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.