2000
#11,653
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,466
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.91
Rare Last name
Mistry
An occupational surname referring to a skilled craftsman, builder, or mason, derived from the Latin word "misterium" meaning "trade."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,503 Americans carry the last name Mistry. That puts it at #6,753 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 62,285 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mistry 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 Mistry with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.5K
1 in 62,285
Census rank
#6,753
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,799 bearers of the surname Mistry in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6753rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mistry, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mistry
The surname Mistry originated in India and has its roots in the ancient Gujarati language. It is derived from the word 'Mistry', which means 'skilled artisan' or 'craftsman'. The name is particularly prevalent among the Parsi community, who migrated to India from Persia (modern-day Iran) during the 8th century AD.
The earliest recorded instances of the Mistry surname can be traced back to the 15th century in parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It was often associated with individuals who worked as skilled carpenters, masons, or builders, reflecting the profession's significance in shaping the region's architectural heritage.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the Mistry surname was Jamshedji Mistry, a prominent architect and builder who lived in the late 16th century. He is credited with designing and constructing several notable structures, including the Chaukundi Tombs in Ahmedabad, which are considered architectural marvels of their time.
In the 18th century, the Mistry surname gained prominence with the rise of Parsi entrepreneurs and industrialists. Ardeshir Mistry, born in 1729, was a successful merchant and one of the pioneers of the Indian textile industry. His legacy continued through his descendants, who played a significant role in the country's economic development.
Another noteworthy figure was Dadabhai Mistry, a prominent Parsi scholar and linguist who lived from 1802 to 1871. He made significant contributions to the study and preservation of the Avestan language, which is the sacred language of Zoroastrianism.
During the 19th century, the Mistry surname gained further recognition with individuals like Cowasjee Mistry, a philanthropist and industrialist who established several educational institutions and charitable organizations in Bombay (now Mumbai).
As the Indian diaspora spread across the globe, the Mistry surname has become prominent in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with a significant Parsi population, such as North America and the United Kingdom. Notable individuals with the Mistry surname include Rohinton Mistry, a renowned Canadian author of Parsi descent, and Zubin Mistry, a British actor and writer.
Throughout history, the Mistry surname has been closely associated with skilled craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, and intellectual pursuits, reflecting the diverse contributions of individuals bearing this name to various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mistry
Among Census respondents with the surname Mistry, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mistry 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 Mistry surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.0% · 4,417
- White4.2% · 201
- Two or more races3.1% · 147
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 18
- Black or African American0.2% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mistry
Mistry 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
#8,832
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,710
+1,244 bearers (+50.4%)
Per 100,000 1.26
Rank movement Up 2,821 places
2020
#6,753
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,799
+1,089 bearers (+29.4%)
Per 100,000 1.61
Rank movement Up 2,079 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,653 | 2,466 | 0.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,832 | 3,710 | 1.26 | +1,244 bearers (+50.4%) | Up 2,821 places |
| 2020 | #6,753 | 4,799 | 1.61 | +1,089 bearers (+29.4%) | Up 2,079 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 Mistry 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 | #8,832 | #6,753 | 23.5% |
| Count | 3,710 | 4,799 | 29.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.26 | 1.61 | 27.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mistry bearers went from 3,710 to 4,799 (+29.4% change). The surname moved up 2,079 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,832 to #6,753.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mistry
FAQ
Mistry surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mistry?
Name Census estimates that about 5,503 living Americans carry the surname Mistry. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 62,285 residents.
How common is Mistry?
Mistry ranks #6,753 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,799 people with the surname Mistry. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,503), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Mistry.
Has Mistry become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mistry went from 3,710 recorded bearers to 4,799. That is an increase of 1,089 (+29.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,832 to #6,753.
What does the Census say about the background of Mistry?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mistry, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Mistry in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (4,417 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mistry appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.0%), White (4.2%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Mistry (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 Mistry mean?
An occupational surname referring to a skilled craftsman, builder, or mason, derived from the Latin word "misterium" meaning "trade." 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 Mistry (1.61 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 have the surname Mistry?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.