2000
#50,903
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 385
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.14
Rare Last name
Nagra
A locational surname of South Asian origin referring to someone from Nagra or a village with a similar name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,125 Americans carry the last name Nagra. That puts it at #26,238 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 304,671 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nagra 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 Nagra with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 304,671
Census rank
#26,238
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
981
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 981 bearers of the surname Nagra in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26238th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nagra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nagra
The surname Nagra is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. Its roots can be traced back to the Sanskrit language, where "Nagara" meant a town or city dweller. Over time, the name may have evolved from this word, potentially signifying an individual's association with urban settlements.
The earliest known references to the name Nagra can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, dating back several centuries. It is also mentioned in some historical records and chronicles from the medieval era in the Indian subcontinent. One notable example is the mention of a warrior named Nagra in the 16th-century Akbarnama, a biographical account of the Mughal Emperor Akbar's reign.
In the 19th century, the surname Nagra gained prominence with the birth of Sardar Hari Singh Nagra (1893-1983), a distinguished Indian freedom fighter and politician. He played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement and later served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the country's constitution.
Another significant figure bearing the Nagra surname was Bhai Vir Singh (1872-1957), a renowned Sikh theologian, writer, and scholar. He was a prominent figure in the revival of the Punjabi language and literature and is revered for his contributions to Sikh philosophy and teachings.
In more recent times, Jaspinder Singh Nagra (born 1974) has made a name for himself as a successful Indian-Canadian writer and poet. His works often explore themes of identity, migration, and cultural heritage, earning him critical acclaim and numerous literary awards.
Additionally, the name Nagra has been associated with the town of Nagra in the Indian state of Rajasthan, which may have served as a historical reference point for individuals bearing this surname. Some variations of the name, such as Nagra and Nagar, have also been observed in different regions.
Overall, the surname Nagra has a rich historical lineage, rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Its origins can be traced back to ancient times, and it has been carried by numerous notable figures throughout history, spanning various fields and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nagra
Among Census respondents with the surname Nagra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Nagra 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 Nagra surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander90.9% · 892
- White4.9% · 48
- Two or more races1.6% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 13
- Black or African American1.1% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nagra
Nagra 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
#32,268
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 714
+329 bearers (+85.5%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 18,635 places
2020
#26,238
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 981
+267 bearers (+37.4%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Up 6,030 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #50,903 | 385 | 0.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #32,268 | 714 | 0.24 | +329 bearers (+85.5%) | Up 18,635 places |
| 2020 | #26,238 | 981 | 0.33 | +267 bearers (+37.4%) | Up 6,030 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 Nagra 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 | #32,268 | #26,238 | 18.7% |
| Count | 714 | 981 | 37.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.33 | 36.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nagra bearers went from 714 to 981 (+37.4% change). The surname moved up 6,030 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,268 to #26,238.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Nagra
FAQ
Nagra surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nagra?
Name Census estimates that about 1,125 living Americans carry the surname Nagra. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 304,671 residents.
How common is Nagra?
Nagra ranks #26,238 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.33 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 981 people with the surname Nagra. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.33 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.33 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 Nagra.
Has Nagra become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nagra went from 714 recorded bearers to 981. That is an increase of 267 (+37.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #32,268 to #26,238.
What does the Census say about the background of Nagra?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nagra, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Nagra in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (892 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nagra appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (90.9%), White (4.9%), Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Nagra (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 Nagra mean?
A locational surname of South Asian origin referring to someone from Nagra or a village with a similar name. 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 Nagra (0.33 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 last name Nagra?
You can see how many people are called Nagra on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.