2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Mulani
An Indian surname, potentially derived from the word "muli" meaning radish or radish-seller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Mulani. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mulani 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.
Bearers in the US
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Mulani in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mulani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and White (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mulani
The surname Mulani is believed to have originated in India. It is a variation of the Sanskrit word "mulan," which means "root" or "origin." The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
Mulani was initially found in the northern regions of India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It is thought to have been associated with communities involved in agriculture or plant-based occupations, as the word "mulan" relates to the foundation or source of something.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Mulani can be traced back to a manuscript from the 16th century, which documented land ownership records in the region of Mewar, Rajasthan. The name appeared in the context of a local landowner or village leader.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Shyam Das Mulani was a renowned scholar and poet in the court of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. His literary works, which included poetry and philosophical treatises, contributed to the cultural heritage of the era.
During the 18th century, a small village named Mulani existed in the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh. This village may have been named after a prominent family or clan bearing the Mulani surname, indicating their long-standing presence in the region.
In the 19th century, a merchant and philanthropist named Laxmi Narayan Mulani made significant contributions to the development of education and healthcare facilities in his hometown of Jaipur, Rajasthan. His efforts were recognized by the local rulers, and he was bestowed with honors for his charitable work.
Another notable figure with the Mulani surname was Kashi Ram Mulani, a freedom fighter who participated in the Indian independence movement against British rule in the early 20th century. He was born in 1885 and played an active role in the non-violent protests led by Mahatma Gandhi.
The Mulani surname continues to be prevalent in various parts of India, particularly in the northern states. While its origin can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit roots, the name has endured through the centuries, carrying a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mulani
Among Census respondents with the surname Mulani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and White (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mulani 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 Mulani surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander87.6% · 106
- Black or African American5.0% · 6
- White3.3% · 4
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mulani
Mulani appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+18 bearers (+17.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 15,925 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+17.5%) | Up 15,925 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 Mulani 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 | #157,234 | #141,309 | 10.1% |
| Count | 103 | 121 | 17.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 34.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mulani bearers went from 103 to 121 (+17.5% change). The surname moved up 15,925 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #141,309.
FAQ
Mulani surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mulani?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Mulani. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Mulani?
Mulani ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Mulani. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mulani.
Has Mulani become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mulani went from 103 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 18 (+17.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Mulani?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mulani, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and White (3.3%). 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 Mulani in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.6% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mulani appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (87.6%), Black (5.0%), White (3.3%). 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 Mulani (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 Mulani mean?
An Indian surname, potentially derived from the word "muli" meaning radish or radish-seller. 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 Mulani (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Mulani?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.