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

Nehra, 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 Nehra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nehra in America

Nehra is the 104602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nehra surname appeared 171 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 Nehra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nehra 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 Nehra

The surname Nehra originated in the Indian subcontinent, with its roots traced back to the northern region of the country, particularly in the states of Haryana and Punjab. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "netra," which means "eye" or "vision." This surname is commonly associated with the Jat community, an influential agricultural and pastoral group found primarily in the northern Indian states.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nehra surname can be found in the 16th-century Persian chronicle "Akbarnama," which documented the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This historical text mentions several individuals bearing the Nehra surname, suggesting that the name was already well-established by that time.

During the medieval period, the Nehra family held significant landholdings and played a prominent role in the regional power dynamics of northern India. Historical records indicate that the village of Nehra, located in the present-day Karnal district of Haryana, was named after this influential family.

In the 18th century, the Nehra surname gained further prominence when Sardar Bhagel Singh Nehra, a renowned military leader, rose to prominence in the Sikh empire under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Sardar Bhagel Singh played a crucial role in several campaigns and battles, earning him a respected position in the Sikh aristocracy.

Another notable figure from the Nehra family was Rai Bahadur Lala Girdhari Lal Nehra, a prominent lawyer, politician, and social reformer from Haryana. Born in 1868, he was actively involved in the Indian independence movement and served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council.

In more recent times, the Nehra surname has gained international recognition through the achievements of cricketer Ashish Nehra, who represented the Indian national cricket team between 1999 and 2017. Born in 1979, Nehra was a successful fast bowler and played a significant role in India's victories in various tournaments, including the 2003 and 2011 Cricket World Cups.

While the Nehra surname is predominantly found in northern India, it has also spread to other parts of the country and the world due to migration and diaspora movements. Despite its geographical dispersion, the name continues to carry a strong association with its historical roots and the cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nehra

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

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

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

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