2000
#27,877
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 811
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.30
Rare Last name
Krishna
An Indian family name derived from the Sanskrit word Krishna meaning "black" or "dark".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,792 Americans carry the last name Krishna. That puts it at #12,202 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.81 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 122,763 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Krishna 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 Krishna with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.8K
1 in 122,763
Census rank
#12,202
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,435 bearers of the surname Krishna in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.81 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12202nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Krishna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Krishna
The surname KRISHNA has its origins in India, dating back to ancient times. It is a Hindu name derived from the Sanskrit word "Krishna," which means "dark, black, or blue." The name is associated with the Hindu deity Lord Krishna, one of the most popular and revered figures in Hinduism.
The name KRISHNA first appeared in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata. These texts mention Lord Krishna, who is believed to be an avatar (incarnation) of the Hindu god Vishnu. The name gained popularity among devotees and followers of Lord Krishna, who began using it as a surname.
In the 4th century BCE, the philosopher and grammarian Panini mentioned the name KRISHNA in his work, "Ashtadhyayi," a treatise on Sanskrit grammar. This is one of the earliest recorded instances of the name in written form.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname KRISHNA was the 16th-century Indian saint and philosopher, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1533). He was a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement and is considered an avatar of Lord Krishna by his followers.
Another notable individual with the surname KRISHNA was the 19th-century Indian philosopher and social reformer, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891). He was a prominent figure in the Bengal Renaissance and worked towards the abolition of the practice of Sati (widow burning) and the promotion of education for women.
In the 20th century, the surname KRISHNA gained international recognition through the work of the Indian spiritual leader and philosopher, Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986). He was a renowned speaker and writer, and his teachings on self-awareness and the nature of consciousness were widely acclaimed.
The name KRISHNA has also been associated with several place names in India, such as Krishna District, Krishna River, and Krishnanagar. These place names were likely derived from the Hindu deity Lord Krishna, reflecting the cultural and religious significance of the name in the region.
Throughout history, the surname KRISHNA has been closely linked to Hindu culture, philosophy, and spirituality. It has been carried by numerous scholars, saints, and spiritual leaders, reflecting the deep-rooted tradition and reverence associated with this name in India.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Krishna
Among Census respondents with the surname Krishna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Krishna 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 Krishna surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.1% · 2,242
- White2.7% · 66
- Two or more races2.7% · 66
- Black or African American1.1% · 27
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Krishna
Krishna 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
#18,793
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,458
+647 bearers (+79.8%)
Per 100,000 0.49
Rank movement Up 9,084 places
2020
#12,202
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,435
+977 bearers (+67.0%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Up 6,591 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #27,877 | 811 | 0.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,793 | 1,458 | 0.49 | +647 bearers (+79.8%) | Up 9,084 places |
| 2020 | #12,202 | 2,435 | 0.81 | +977 bearers (+67.0%) | Up 6,591 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 Krishna 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 | #18,793 | #12,202 | 35.1% |
| Count | 1,458 | 2,435 | 67.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.49 | 0.81 | 66.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Krishna bearers went from 1,458 to 2,435 (+67.0% change). The surname moved up 6,591 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,793 to #12,202.
FAQ
Krishna surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Krishna?
Name Census estimates that about 2,792 living Americans carry the surname Krishna. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 122,763 residents.
How common is Krishna?
Krishna ranks #12,202 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.81 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 2,435 people with the surname Krishna. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,792), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.81 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.81 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 Krishna.
Has Krishna become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Krishna went from 1,458 recorded bearers to 2,435. That is an increase of 977 (+67.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,793 to #12,202.
What does the Census say about the background of Krishna?
Among Census respondents with the surname Krishna, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Krishna in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (2,242 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Krishna appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.1%), White (2.7%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Krishna (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 Krishna mean?
An Indian family name derived from the Sanskrit word Krishna meaning "black" or "dark". 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 Krishna (0.81 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 Americans have the surname Krishna?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.