2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pallai
An Indian surname derived from the Tamil word for "branch", indicating ancestry from a place known for its trees or vegetation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Pallai. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pallai 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Pallai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pallai, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.9%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pallai
The surname PALLAI is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern regions of the country. It is thought to have derived from the Tamil word "pallai," which means "branch" or "twig." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals involved in agricultural or horticultural activities, perhaps working with or living near branches or twigs.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PALLAI can be found in ancient Tamil literature, where it is mentioned in texts dating back to the Sangam period (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE). These literary works often referred to individuals by their surnames, providing valuable insights into the naming traditions of the time.
During the medieval period, the PALLAI surname appeared in various regional records and manuscripts, particularly in areas where Tamil culture and language had a strong influence. For example, the name can be found in land grant records and inscriptions from the Chola and Pandya dynasties, which ruled significant parts of southern India between the 9th and 13th centuries.
Notable individuals with the surname PALLAI include Pallai Kanakavijayam (c. 1505-1580), a renowned Tamil scholar and poet who authored several works on grammar, poetry, and philosophy. Another prominent figure was Pallai Govindha Nayakkar (1572-1646), a military commander and ruler who served under the Nayak dynasty in the Madurai region.
In the 18th century, Pallai Thandavaraya Pillai (1708-1761) was a highly respected Tamil scholar and grammarian who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of the Tamil language. His works on grammar and lexicography were widely influential.
Moving into the modern era, Pallai Narayana Iyer (1855-1932) was a prominent lawyer and social reformer who advocated for the rights of the underprivileged and campaigned against various social evils prevalent at the time. He was also a prolific writer and authored several works on social and legal issues.
Throughout history, the surname PALLAI has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, rulers, and social activists. While the name's origins can be traced back to ancient times, it continues to be a prevalent surname in southern India, particularly among Tamil communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pallai
Among Census respondents with the surname Pallai, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.9%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Pallai 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 Pallai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.6% · 103
- Asian and Pacific Islander10.9% · 13
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pallai
Pallai 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+7 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,465 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 4,465 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 Pallai 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 | #147,253 | #142,788 | 3.0% |
| Count | 112 | 119 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pallai bearers went from 112 to 119 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 4,465 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #142,788.
FAQ
Pallai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pallai?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Pallai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Pallai?
Pallai ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Pallai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Pallai.
Has Pallai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pallai went from 112 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 7 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Pallai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pallai, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.9%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pallai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.6% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pallai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (10.9%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Pallai (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 Pallai mean?
An Indian surname derived from the Tamil word for "branch", indicating ancestry from a place known for its trees or vegetation. 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 Pallai (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 people have the last name Pallai?
You can see how many people have the surname Pallai on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.