2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pajari
A Finnish surname derived from the word 'pajari' meaning thatcher or roofer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 175 Americans carry the last name Pajari. That puts it at #119,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,958,596 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pajari 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
175
1 in 1,958,596
Census rank
#119,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
153
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 153 bearers of the surname Pajari in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 119572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pajari, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pajari
The surname Pajari originated in Finland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Finnish word "pajari," which means "blacksmith" or "metalworker." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in metalworking or blacksmithing professions.
Pajari is a relatively common surname in Finland, particularly in the central and eastern regions of the country. It can be traced back to the 16th century, with early records showing variations in spelling, such as Paijari and Paijeri.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name Pajari can be found in the parish records of Rautalampi, a municipality in the Northern Savonia region of Finland. In these records, dated around the late 16th century, there are entries for several individuals with the surname Pajari, including Mikko Pajari and Antti Pajari.
The name Pajari is also mentioned in some historical documents related to the Finnish peasant uprising known as the Club War or Nuijasota (1596–1597). Several individuals with the surname Pajari are recorded as having participated in this rebellion against the Swedish crown.
A notable individual with the surname Pajari was Antti Pajari (1779–1845), a Finnish farmer and landowner who lived in the village of Lappeenranta. He was known for his extensive landholdings and influential role in the local community.
Another prominent figure was Juho Pajari (1822–1896), a Finnish Lutheran clergyman and author. He served as a pastor in several parishes and wrote several religious texts that were influential in their time.
In the 19th century, the name Pajari appeared in various historical records related to the Finnish national awakening and the struggle for independence from Russia. Individuals such as Matti Pajari (1832–1907) and Liisa Pajari (1838–1911) were active participants in this movement.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the Pajari family played a significant role in the development of the Finnish logging and timber industry. Notable figures include Jaakko Pajari (1856–1932) and Kalle Pajari (1870–1948), who owned and operated successful timber companies in eastern Finland.
While the surname Pajari has its origins in Finland, it can also be found in other parts of the world, likely due to Finnish immigration patterns. However, the historical significance and prevalence of this name are most prominent in its country of origin, Finland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pajari
Among Census respondents with the surname Pajari, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Pajari 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 Pajari surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.2% · 138
- Two or more races5.9% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pajari
Pajari 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
#120,187
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
+25 bearers (+21.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 11,179 places
2020
#119,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
+9 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 615 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #120,187 | 144 | 0.05 | +25 bearers (+21.0%) | Up 11,179 places |
| 2020 | #119,572 | 153 | 0.05 | +9 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 615 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 Pajari 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 | #120,187 | #119,572 | 0.5% |
| Count | 144 | 153 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 2.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pajari bearers went from 144 to 153 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 615 positions in the national ranking, going from #120,187 to #119,572.
FAQ
Pajari surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pajari?
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the surname Pajari. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,958,596 residents.
How common is Pajari?
Pajari ranks #119,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 153 people with the surname Pajari. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (175), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Pajari.
Has Pajari become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pajari went from 144 recorded bearers to 153. That is an increase of 9 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #120,187 to #119,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Pajari?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pajari, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pajari in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.2% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pajari appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.2%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Hispanic (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 Pajari (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 Pajari mean?
A Finnish surname derived from the word 'pajari' meaning thatcher or roofer. 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 Pajari (0.05 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 Pajari?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Pajari on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.