2000
#55,732
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 344
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Rare Last name
Maheshwari
A Hindu surname for persons hailing from the Maheshwari community of merchants and traders.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,675 Americans carry the last name Maheshwari. That puts it at #18,654 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 204,629 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maheshwari 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 Maheshwari with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.7K
1 in 204,629
Census rank
#18,654
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,461 bearers of the surname Maheshwari in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 18654th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maheshwari, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and White (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maheshwari
The surname Maheshwari originated in India and traces its roots to the ancient Sanskrit language. It is believed to have derived from the word "Maheshwara," which means "the great Lord" or "the Supreme Being," referring to Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology. This surname has a strong connection to the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat in western India.
Historically, the Maheshwaris were a community of merchants and traders who played a significant role in the economic and commercial activities of the region. They were known for their expertise in textile trading, particularly in the production and export of fine silk and cotton fabrics.
The earliest recorded instances of the Maheshwari surname can be found in various medieval texts and inscriptions from the 11th to 14th centuries CE. These include references in the Prabhanda literature of Rajasthan, as well as in some local gazetteers and chronicles.
One notable historical figure bearing the Maheshwari surname was Shri Gopaldas Maheshwari, a prominent silk merchant and philanthropist who lived in the 17th century in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan. He was renowned for his generosity and contributions to various social and religious causes.
Another significant individual was Shri Nathuram Maheshwari, a renowned scholar and author who lived in the 18th century. He wrote several influential works on Hindu philosophy, astrology, and literature, including the celebrated treatise "Maheshwari Niti Shastra."
In the 19th century, Shri Motilal Maheshwari was a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement. He actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and was imprisoned for his activism against British rule.
During the 20th century, Shri Govindram Maheshwari made significant contributions to the field of education. He established several schools and educational institutions in Rajasthan, promoting the cause of literacy and learning among underprivileged communities.
Lastly, Shri Kesharichand Maheshwari was a renowned artist and sculptor from Gujarat, known for his intricate and exquisite stone carvings and sculptures depicting Hindu deities and mythological scenes.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the Maheshwari surname throughout history, highlighting the diverse contributions of this community to various fields, including commerce, literature, social reform, education, and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maheshwari
Among Census respondents with the surname Maheshwari, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and White (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Maheshwari 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 Maheshwari surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.0% · 1,402
- Two or more races1.6% · 24
- White1.4% · 20
- Black or African American0.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maheshwari
Maheshwari 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
#31,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 741
+397 bearers (+115.4%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Up 24,447 places
2020
#18,654
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,461
+720 bearers (+97.2%)
Per 100,000 0.49
Rank movement Up 12,631 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #55,732 | 344 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #31,285 | 741 | 0.25 | +397 bearers (+115.4%) | Up 24,447 places |
| 2020 | #18,654 | 1,461 | 0.49 | +720 bearers (+97.2%) | Up 12,631 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 Maheshwari 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 | #31,285 | #18,654 | 40.4% |
| Count | 741 | 1,461 | 97.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.49 | 95.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maheshwari bearers went from 741 to 1,461 (+97.2% change). The surname moved up 12,631 positions in the national ranking, going from #31,285 to #18,654.
FAQ
Maheshwari surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maheshwari?
Name Census estimates that about 1,675 living Americans carry the surname Maheshwari. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 204,629 residents.
How common is Maheshwari?
Maheshwari ranks #18,654 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.49 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 1,461 people with the surname Maheshwari. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,675), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.49 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 Maheshwari.
Has Maheshwari become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maheshwari went from 741 recorded bearers to 1,461. That is an increase of 720 (+97.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #31,285 to #18,654.
What does the Census say about the background of Maheshwari?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maheshwari, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and White (1.4%). 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 Maheshwari in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (1,402 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maheshwari appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.0%), Two or More Races (1.6%), White (1.4%). 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 Maheshwari (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 Maheshwari mean?
A Hindu surname for persons hailing from the Maheshwari community of merchants and traders. 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 Maheshwari (0.49 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 Maheshwari?
You can see how many people have the surname Maheshwari on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.