2000
#6,962
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,440
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.65
Rare Last name
Mohan
A surname of Indian origin, derived from Sanskrit, meaning "one who enchants or delights."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,785 Americans carry the last name Mohan. That puts it at #4,498 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 39,016 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mohan 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 Mohan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
8.8K
1 in 39,016
Census rank
#4,498
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,661 bearers of the surname Mohan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4498th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mohan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 59.2%. The next largest groups are White (29.6%) and Black (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mohan
The surname Mohan has its origins in India, where it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word 'moha,' which means enchantment, delusion, or infatuation. The name is thought to have been initially used as a descriptive epithet for someone who was perceived as being captivated or enthralled by worldly pursuits or pleasures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mohan can be found in the ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, where it is mentioned as the name of a sage or rishi. This suggests that the name has its roots in Hindu mythology and religious traditions.
In the 12th century, the name Mohan appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the Indian subcontinent, particularly in regions such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, and parts of Northern India. It is believed that the name gained popularity among certain communities and castes during this time.
The name Mohan has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most prominent individuals bearing this surname was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), the renowned Indian leader and advocate of non-violent civil disobedience, who played a pivotal role in India's struggle for independence from British rule.
Another notable figure with the surname Mohan was Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), the founder of the Sikh Empire and a celebrated ruler of the early 19th century. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts to unify the Punjab region.
In the realm of literature, the Indian poet and writer Karoor Neelakanda Pillai (1712-1775), also known as Mohan Kavi, gained recognition for his works in the Malayalam language, which included the epic poem 'Bhagavadajjukam.'
The name Mohan has also been associated with various place names in India, such as Mohanpur, a town in West Bengal, and Mohangarh, a historical fort in Rajasthan. These place names may have derived from individuals bearing the surname Mohan who were influential or prominent figures in those regions.
Another notable bearer of the surname Mohan was Jag Mohan (1916-2008), an Indian civil servant and politician who served as the Governor of several states in India, including Goa, Assam, and Gujarat.
While the surname Mohan has its roots in India and is primarily associated with the Indian subcontinent, it has also gained recognition and usage in other parts of the world, particularly among the Indian diaspora communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mohan
Among Census respondents with the surname Mohan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 59.2%. The next largest groups are White (29.6%) and Black (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Mohan 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 Mohan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander59.2% · 4,538
- White29.6% · 2,264
- Black or African American5.7% · 433
- Two or more races3.5% · 265
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 133
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 28
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mohan
Mohan 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
#5,616
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,188
+1,748 bearers (+39.4%)
Per 100,000 2.10
Rank movement Up 1,346 places
2020
#4,498
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,661
+1,473 bearers (+23.8%)
Per 100,000 2.56
Rank movement Up 1,118 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,962 | 4,440 | 1.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,616 | 6,188 | 2.10 | +1,748 bearers (+39.4%) | Up 1,346 places |
| 2020 | #4,498 | 7,661 | 2.56 | +1,473 bearers (+23.8%) | Up 1,118 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 Mohan 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 | #5,616 | #4,498 | 19.9% |
| Count | 6,188 | 7,661 | 23.8% |
| Per 100K | 2.10 | 2.56 | 22.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mohan bearers went from 6,188 to 7,661 (+23.8% change). The surname moved up 1,118 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,616 to #4,498.
FAQ
Mohan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mohan?
Name Census estimates that about 8,785 living Americans carry the surname Mohan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 39,016 residents.
How common is Mohan?
Mohan ranks #4,498 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,661 people with the surname Mohan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,785), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Mohan.
Has Mohan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mohan went from 6,188 recorded bearers to 7,661. That is an increase of 1,473 (+23.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,616 to #4,498.
What does the Census say about the background of Mohan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mohan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 59.2%. The next largest groups are White (29.6%) and Black (5.7%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mohan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.2% (4,538 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mohan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (59.2%), White (29.6%), Black (5.7%). 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 Mohan (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 Mohan mean?
A surname of Indian origin, derived from Sanskrit, meaning "one who enchants or delights." 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 Mohan (2.56 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 common is the surname Mohan?
You can see how common the surname Mohan is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.