Mathura last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Mathura is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mathura.

Meaning of Mathura

A surname referring to a sacred city in northern India.

Mathura, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mathura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mathura in America

Mathura is the 50771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mathura surname appeared 411 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mathura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mathura to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 50771 62046 -19.99%
Count 411 302 30.58%
Proportion per 100k 0.14 0.11 24.00%

The history of the last name Mathura

The surname Mathura has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of northern India. It is believed to have derived from the name of the ancient city of Mathura, which was a prominent cultural and religious center during the Vedic period, dating back to around 1000 BCE.

Mathura was a thriving city in the Uttar Pradesh region and was known for its rich tradition of art, architecture, and spirituality. It was an important center for the worship of Lord Krishna and the birthplace of many saints and scholars. The city's name is thought to have come from the Sanskrit word "Mathura," which means "prosperous" or "flourishing."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Mathura can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions from the region. One notable example is the Mathura Lion Capital, a sandstone pillar capital from the 3rd century BCE that bears an inscription mentioning the name Mathura.

In the medieval period, the Mathura surname gained prominence as the city became a center of learning and education. Several scholars and writers from this time bore the surname, including the 11th-century poet and philosopher Mathura Vidyalankar, who was known for his works on Vedic philosophy and grammar.

Another notable figure with the Mathura surname was the 16th-century saint and poet Mathura Das, who wrote devotional poetry dedicated to Lord Krishna. His works, such as the "Mathura Mahatmya," remain popular among devotees of the Vaishnava tradition.

During the Mughal era, the city of Mathura was known for its skilled artisans and craftsmen, many of whom likely bore the Mathura surname. This period saw the construction of magnificent architectural marvels, such as the Govardhan Hill and the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple Complex.

In more recent times, the Mathura surname has been associated with several accomplished individuals, including the 20th-century Indian historian and archaeologist Rama Nath Mathura, who specialized in the study of ancient Indian art and architecture.

Overall, the surname Mathura has a rich and diverse history, deeply rooted in the cultural and spiritual traditions of northern India. Its associations with the ancient city of Mathura and its contributions to various fields, including literature, philosophy, and art, have made it a significant and enduring surname in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mathura

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mathura.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mathura was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 6.81% 28
Non-Hispanic Black Only 30.41% 125
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 44.28% 182
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 4.14% 17
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 10.22% 42
Hispanic Origin 4.14% 17

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mathura has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 6.81% 6.62% 2.83%
Black 30.41% 13.91% 74.46%
Asian and Pacific Islander 44.28% 41.39% 6.75%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 4.14% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 10.22% 34.11% -107.78%
Hispanic 4.14% (S)% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mathura was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mathura, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Mathura last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 9, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/mathura-surname-popularity/.

"Mathura last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/mathura-surname-popularity/. Accessed 9 May, 2025

Mathura last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/mathura-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.