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

Mehra, 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 Mehra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mehra in America

Mehra is the 19189th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mehra surname appeared 1,415 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 Mehra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mehra 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.

The history of the last name Mehra

The surname Mehra has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word 'Mihira,' which means sun or sun-like. This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who possessed a radiant or bright personality or had a connection with the sun or its worship.

The earliest records of the name Mehra can be traced back to the 8th century CE, during the reign of the Rajput dynasties in the northern Indian states of Rajasthan and Haryana. Several historical references mention individuals with the surname Mehra holding positions of importance in the royal courts and armies of these kingdoms.

One of the earliest known mentions of the name Mehra is found in the Prithviraj Raso, an epic poem composed in the 12th century, which recounts the life and exploits of the Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan. The poem mentions a warrior named Mehra who fought valiantly alongside King Prithviraj in his battles against the Muslim invaders.

In the 16th century, during the Mughal era, the name Mehra was associated with several notable figures. Rai Mehra, a prominent Rajput nobleman, served as a military commander under the Mughal emperor Akbar and played a significant role in the conquest of Gujarat.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the surname Mehra was Pandit Sukh Mehra, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 17th century. He was celebrated for his poetic works in the Braj Bhasha dialect and his contributions to the literary traditions of northern India.

The 19th century saw the rise of Lala Mohan Lal Mehra, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Lahore (now in Pakistan). He was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions and played a pivotal role in the social and economic development of the region.

In more recent times, the surname Mehra has been associated with several influential figures in various fields, such as Vinod Mehra, an acclaimed Indian actor known for his roles in popular Bollywood films of the 1970s and 1980s (1945-1990), and Zia Mehra, a renowned Pakistani artist and sculptor (1938-2002).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mehra

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

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 Mehra was:

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 Mehra has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Mehra was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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