2000
#21,254
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,150
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.43
Rare Last name
Khatri
A surname associated with the Kshatriya caste, traditionally comprising warriors, rulers, and administrators in the Hindu varna system.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,728 Americans carry the last name Khatri. That puts it at #9,562 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,941 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khatri 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 Khatri with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 91,941
Census rank
#9,562
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,251 bearers of the surname Khatri in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9562nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khatri, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khatri
The surname Khatri has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Kshatriya,' which refers to the warrior and ruling class in the ancient Hindu social hierarchy. The term 'Khatri' is a variant of 'Kshatriya' and is commonly found among certain communities in North India and Pakistan.
The earliest recorded references to the Khatri surname can be traced back to the medieval period, particularly in historical records and manuscripts related to trade and commerce. The Khatri community was known for their involvement in mercantile activities and played a significant role in the trade networks of the region.
One of the earliest notable figures bearing the Khatri surname was Daulat Khatri, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in the 16th century during the Mughal Empire. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes and fostering economic ties between the Mughal Empire and other regions.
Another historically significant individual with the Khatri surname was Rai Bular Khatri, a influential figure in the Rajput community of Rajasthan during the 17th century. Rai Bular Khatri was known for his leadership skills and played a crucial role in the political landscape of the region.
In the 18th century, Munnalal Khatri, a renowned poet and writer, gained recognition for his literary contributions. His works, which were primarily written in the Braj Bhasha language, explored themes of devotion and spirituality.
During the 19th century, Lala Saligram Khatri, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Punjab, made significant contributions to the development of educational institutions and social welfare initiatives in the region.
Another notable figure with the Khatri surname was Munshi Ramlal Khatri, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a renowned scholar, linguist, and author, and his works shed light on the cultural and linguistic heritage of the region.
Throughout history, the Khatri surname has been associated with various professions, including trade, business, politics, and literature, reflecting the diverse roles and contributions of individuals bearing this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khatri
Among Census respondents with the surname Khatri, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Khatri 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 Khatri surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.3% · 3,001
- White3.3% · 107
- Two or more races2.4% · 77
- Black or African American0.9% · 28
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khatri
Khatri 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
#14,870
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,991
+841 bearers (+73.1%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 6,384 places
2020
#9,562
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,251
+1,260 bearers (+63.3%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Up 5,308 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,254 | 1,150 | 0.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,870 | 1,991 | 0.67 | +841 bearers (+73.1%) | Up 6,384 places |
| 2020 | #9,562 | 3,251 | 1.09 | +1,260 bearers (+63.3%) | Up 5,308 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 Khatri 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 | #14,870 | #9,562 | 35.7% |
| Count | 1,991 | 3,251 | 63.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.67 | 1.09 | 62.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khatri bearers went from 1,991 to 3,251 (+63.3% change). The surname moved up 5,308 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,870 to #9,562.
FAQ
Khatri surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khatri?
Name Census estimates that about 3,728 living Americans carry the surname Khatri. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 91,941 residents.
How common is Khatri?
Khatri ranks #9,562 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.09 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 3,251 people with the surname Khatri. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,728), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.09 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 Khatri.
Has Khatri become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khatri went from 1,991 recorded bearers to 3,251. That is an increase of 1,260 (+63.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,870 to #9,562.
What does the Census say about the background of Khatri?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khatri, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Khatri in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (3,001 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khatri appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.3%), White (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Khatri (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 Khatri mean?
A surname associated with the Kshatriya caste, traditionally comprising warriors, rulers, and administrators in the Hindu varna system. 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 Khatri (1.09 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 Khatri?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Khatri on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.