2000
#109,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Panesar
A Sikh surname signifying a basket weaver or seller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 349 Americans carry the last name Panesar. That puts it at #69,562 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 982,104 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Panesar 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 Panesar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
349
1 in 982,104
Census rank
#69,562
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
304
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 304 bearers of the surname Panesar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 69562nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Panesar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and White (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Panesar
The surname Panesar originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically the Punjab region. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "panasa," which means "jackfruit." The name likely originated during the medieval period when surnames were adopted by families to establish their identities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Panesar can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century Sanskrit text commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document contains a detailed record of the administration and demographics of the Mughal Empire, including lists of prominent families and their surnames.
The Panesar name is often associated with the village of Sarhali in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab. Historical records indicate that the Panesar family had a strong presence in this area, and the village was once known as "Panesar Village" due to their influence.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Bhai Panesar Singh played a significant role in the Sikh struggle against the Mughal Empire. He was a devoted follower of Guru Gobind Singh and participated in numerous battles, eventually attaining martyrdom for his bravery and dedication.
Another prominent individual with the Panesar surname was Sardar Kartar Singh Panesar, a renowned freedom fighter and activist during the Indian independence movement. Born in 1890, he was instrumental in organizing protests and civil disobedience campaigns against British rule in Punjab.
During the 20th century, the Panesar family gained recognition in various fields, including literature and academia. Bhai Vir Singh Panesar, born in 1872, was a celebrated Punjabi writer and theologian who made significant contributions to Sikh literature and philosophy.
More recently, Navneet Panesar, born in 1980, achieved fame as a professional cricketer who represented England in international test matches. His success brought further recognition to the Panesar name on a global stage.
Overall, the surname Panesar has a rich history deeply rooted in the cultural and political landscape of the Punjab region. From its Sanskrit origins to its association with prominent figures in Sikh history and the Indian independence movement, the name has left an indelible mark across centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Panesar
Among Census respondents with the surname Panesar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and White (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Panesar 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 Panesar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander89.1% · 271
- Two or more races5.3% · 16
- White3.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 5
- Black or African American0.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Panesar
Panesar 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
#79,075
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 241
+92 bearers (+61.7%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 30,840 places
2020
#69,562
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 304
+63 bearers (+26.1%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 9,513 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #109,915 | 149 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #79,075 | 241 | 0.08 | +92 bearers (+61.7%) | Up 30,840 places |
| 2020 | #69,562 | 304 | 0.10 | +63 bearers (+26.1%) | Up 9,513 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 Panesar 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 | #79,075 | #69,562 | 12.0% |
| Count | 241 | 304 | 26.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.10 | 27.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Panesar bearers went from 241 to 304 (+26.1% change). The surname moved up 9,513 positions in the national ranking, going from #79,075 to #69,562.
FAQ
Panesar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Panesar?
Name Census estimates that about 349 living Americans carry the surname Panesar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 982,104 residents.
How common is Panesar?
Panesar ranks #69,562 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 304 people with the surname Panesar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (349), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Panesar.
Has Panesar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Panesar went from 241 recorded bearers to 304. That is an increase of 63 (+26.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #79,075 to #69,562.
What does the Census say about the background of Panesar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Panesar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and White (3.0%). 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 Panesar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (271 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Panesar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (89.1%), Two or More Races (5.3%), White (3.0%). 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 Panesar (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 Panesar mean?
A Sikh surname signifying a basket weaver or 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 Panesar (0.10 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 Panesar?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.