2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Mahatha
A surname of uncertain origin, potentially derived from a place name or ancient language.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Mahatha. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mahatha 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Mahatha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mahatha, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.7%) and White (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mahatha
The surname MAHATHA originated in the Indian subcontinent, with its roots traceable to the Sanskrit language. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, between the 5th and 12th centuries AD, when the region witnessed a flourishing of Hindu and Buddhist cultures.
In its earliest form, the name was likely derived from the Sanskrit word "maha," meaning great or grand, and "atha," which could signify a variety of concepts such as "then," "next," or "afterward." This combination suggests a potential connection to illustrious or noteworthy individuals or events.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MAHATHA can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, which often included lists of names and genealogies. It is possible that the name was initially associated with prominent scholars, religious figures, or influential families within the brahminical tradition.
As the name spread across the Indian subcontinent, it likely underwent various spelling variations and regional adaptations. Some historical records from the 12th to 16th centuries mention individuals with similar names, such as Mahathappa, Mahathayya, or Mahathaya, hinting at a shared linguistic and cultural heritage.
Notable bearers of the MAHATHA surname include Mahatha Nayaka (c. 1560-1630), a powerful ruler of the Nayaka dynasty in southern India, who played a pivotal role in the expansion and consolidation of his kingdom. Another prominent figure was Mahatha Rao (c. 1690-1755), a prominent military commander and statesman in the Maratha Empire, renowned for his strategic military campaigns and administrative skills.
In the realm of literature and arts, Mahatha Devi (c. 1820-1890) was a celebrated poet and writer from Bengal, known for her contributions to the Bengali renaissance. Her works celebrated the beauty of nature and explored themes of spirituality and social reform.
The name MAHATHA also found its way into the annals of religious and philosophical discourse. Mahatha Swami (c. 1750-1825), a renowned Hindu spiritual leader and philosopher, played a significant role in reviving and propagating the teachings of the Advaita Vedanta school of thought.
Lastly, Mahatha Chandra (c. 1880-1945) was a pioneering Indian botanist and plant taxonomist, whose groundbreaking research on the flora of the subcontinent earned him widespread recognition and numerous accolades.
While the name MAHATHA may have evolved and taken on various forms over the centuries, its enduring presence across diverse spheres of Indian history and culture serves as a testament to its rich heritage and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mahatha
Among Census respondents with the surname Mahatha, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.7%) and White (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mahatha 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 Mahatha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American78.8% · 93
- Two or more races12.7% · 15
- White5.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mahatha
Mahatha 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,224 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-8 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 8,224 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 9,648 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 Mahatha 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 | #133,863 | #143,511 | -7.2% |
| Count | 126 | 118 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mahatha bearers went from 126 to 118 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 9,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #143,511.
FAQ
Mahatha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mahatha?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Mahatha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Mahatha?
Mahatha ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Mahatha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mahatha.
Has Mahatha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mahatha went from 126 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Mahatha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mahatha, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.7%) and White (5.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mahatha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.8% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mahatha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (78.8%), Two or More Races (12.7%), White (5.9%). 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 Mahatha (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 Mahatha mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, potentially derived from a place name or ancient 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 Mahatha (0.04 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 surname Mahatha?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.