2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Makal
A surname of Indian origin, possibly derived from the Sanskrit word meaning beloved or dear.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Makal. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Makal 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Makal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Makal, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Two or More Races (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Makal
The surname MAKAL has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged as a surname during the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "makal," which means "peacock" or "one who resembles a peacock."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MAKAL can be found in ancient Hindu texts and manuscripts dating back to the 13th century. These texts often referred to individuals with this surname as skilled artisans or craftsmen, known for their intricate and ornate work, much like the beautiful plumage of a peacock.
In the 16th century, the MAKAL surname was prominently mentioned in the historical records of the Mughal Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent at the time. Several notable figures from this period bore the surname, including Makal Khan, a renowned military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the MAKAL surname gained further prominence in the regions of Punjab and Rajasthan. Historical records from this period mention several individuals with this surname holding influential positions in various fields, such as art, literature, and administration. One noteworthy figure was Makal Singh, a prominent Rajput warrior and chieftain from the late 18th century.
In the realm of literature, the MAKAL surname is associated with the renowned Urdu poet and writer, Makal Shad (1759-1834), whose works were celebrated for their lyrical beauty and profound insights.
Another significant figure was Makal Chand (1835-1901), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Punjab, who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
Throughout history, the MAKAL surname has been closely tied to the rich cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent, reflecting the artistry, bravery, and intellectual pursuits of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Makal
Among Census respondents with the surname Makal, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Two or More Races (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Makal 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 Makal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.8% · 85
- Black or African American14.2% · 17
- Two or more races6.7% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Makal
Makal 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
#123,796
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
+13 bearers (+10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 1,843 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-19 bearers (-13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,253 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 | #123,796 | 139 | 0.05 | +13 bearers (+10.3%) | Up 1,843 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-13.7%) | Down 18,253 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 Makal 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 | #123,796 | #142,049 | -14.7% |
| Count | 139 | 120 | -13.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Makal bearers went from 139 to 120 (-13.7% change). The surname moved down 18,253 positions in the national ranking, going from #123,796 to #142,049.
FAQ
Makal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Makal?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Makal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Makal?
Makal ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Makal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Makal.
Has Makal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Makal went from 139 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 19 (-13.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #123,796 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Makal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Makal, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (14.2%) and Two or More Races (6.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Makal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.8% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Makal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.8%), Black (14.2%), Two or More Races (6.7%). 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 Makal (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 Makal mean?
A surname of Indian origin, possibly derived from the Sanskrit word meaning beloved or dear. 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 Makal (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 share the surname Makal?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.