2000
#18,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,359
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.50
Rare Last name
Mani
A surname of South Indian origin, derived from the Sanskrit word for jewel or precious stone.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,491 Americans carry the last name Mani. That puts it at #10,093 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 98,182 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mani 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 Mani with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 98,182
Census rank
#10,093
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,044 bearers of the surname Mani in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10093rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 67.4%. The next largest groups are White (17.5%) and Hispanic (10.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mani
The surname MANI originated in India, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "mani," which means "jewel" or "gem." The name likely emerged as a descriptor for individuals who worked with precious stones or were associated with the jewelry trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MANI can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, where it is mentioned as the name of a character. This suggests that the name was in use during the time when the epic was composed, which is believed to be between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE.
During the medieval period, the name MANI gained prominence in South India, particularly in the regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It was associated with influential families and individuals who played significant roles in the cultural, religious, and political spheres.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname MANI was Mani Vavunravandu Pillai (1590-1655), a renowned Tamil scholar and poet from the Nayak Dynasty period. His works, including the epic poem "Tembavani," contributed significantly to the development of Tamil literature.
Another prominent individual with the surname MANI was Mani Iyer (1677-1744), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Kerala. He made significant contributions to the field of Indian astronomy and authored several treatises on the subject.
In the 19th century, the name MANI gained recognition in the field of Indian classical music. Mani Iyer (1853-1921), a renowned Carnatic vocalist and composer, hailed from a family of musicians and left a lasting impact on the music tradition of South India.
The surname MANI is also associated with place names in India. For example, Manikhera is a village in the state of Uttar Pradesh, while Manikpur is a town in the state of Madhya Pradesh. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the surname MANI who settled in those areas.
Throughout history, the surname MANI has been carried by numerous individuals across various fields, including literature, arts, science, and politics. While the name has its roots in India, it has also gained recognition and prominence in other parts of the world, reflecting the rich cultural diversity and global influence of Indian names.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mani
Among Census respondents with the surname Mani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 67.4%. The next largest groups are White (17.5%) and Hispanic (10.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mani 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 Mani surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander67.4% · 2,051
- White17.5% · 532
- Hispanic or Latino10.1% · 306
- Black or African American2.6% · 79
- Two or more races2.3% · 69
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mani
Mani 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
#13,690
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,212
+853 bearers (+62.8%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Up 4,992 places
2020
#10,093
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,044
+832 bearers (+37.6%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Up 3,597 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,682 | 1,359 | 0.50 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,690 | 2,212 | 0.75 | +853 bearers (+62.8%) | Up 4,992 places |
| 2020 | #10,093 | 3,044 | 1.02 | +832 bearers (+37.6%) | Up 3,597 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 Mani 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 | #13,690 | #10,093 | 26.3% |
| Count | 2,212 | 3,044 | 37.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.75 | 1.02 | 35.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mani bearers went from 2,212 to 3,044 (+37.6% change). The surname moved up 3,597 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,690 to #10,093.
FAQ
Mani surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mani?
Name Census estimates that about 3,491 living Americans carry the surname Mani. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 98,182 residents.
How common is Mani?
Mani ranks #10,093 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.02 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 3,044 people with the surname Mani. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,491), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.02 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 Mani.
Has Mani become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mani went from 2,212 recorded bearers to 3,044. That is an increase of 832 (+37.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,690 to #10,093.
What does the Census say about the background of Mani?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 67.4%. The next largest groups are White (17.5%) and Hispanic (10.1%). 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 Mani in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.4% (2,051 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mani appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (67.4%), White (17.5%), Hispanic (10.1%). 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 Mani (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 Mani mean?
A surname of South Indian origin, derived from the Sanskrit word for jewel or precious stone. 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 Mani (1.02 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 are called Mani?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Mani at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.