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

Kharel, 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 Kharel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kharel in America

Kharel is the 43206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kharel surname appeared 500 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 Kharel.

The history of the last name Kharel

The surname Kharel traces its origins to the Kharel clan of the Bahun community in Nepal. The word "Kharel" is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Kshatra," which means warrior or protector. This suggests that the Kharel clan may have had a history of serving as warriors or guardians in ancient times.

The Kharel surname is predominantly found in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, particularly in the districts of Gorkha, Lamjung, and Kaski. These areas were historically part of the Kingdom of Gorkha, which played a significant role in the unification of Nepal in the 18th century.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Kharel surname can be found in the Gopalaraj Vamshavali, a genealogical text written in the 14th century. This text mentions several individuals with the Kharel surname who held prominent positions in the court of the Malla kings of the Kathmandu Valley.

In the 16th century, the Kharel surname appears in the Ain-i-Akbari, a comprehensive record of the administration of the Mughal Empire under Akbar the Great. This text mentions a notable Kharel individual named Gajendra Kharel, who served as a military commander in the Mughal army.

During the unification of Nepal in the late 18th century, several Kharel individuals played significant roles in the military campaigns led by Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of the modern Nepali state. One such figure was Kalu Kharel, a renowned military leader who fought alongside Prithvi Narayan Shah and was instrumental in the conquest of Kathmandu Valley in 1768-1769.

Another notable Kharel figure was Bhakti Thapa Kharel, a poet and scholar from the 19th century. He is remembered for his contributions to Nepali literature and his works on philosophy and religion.

In the 20th century, Kharel individuals have made their mark in various fields, including politics, academia, and literature. Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, a prominent politician and writer who served as the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1959 to 1960, was born into the Kharel clan.

More recently, Kunda Dixit, a renowned Nepali journalist and editor, has gained international recognition for her work in promoting press freedom and democracy in Nepal. She was born Kunda Kharel in 1956.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kharel

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

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 Kharel 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.

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

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

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