2000
#13,165
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
Parekh
A Gujarati surname indicating the individual's ancestors worked as record-keepers, treasurers, or held similar administrative positions.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,343 Americans carry the last name Parekh. That puts it at #6,951 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,150 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Parekh 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 Parekh with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.3K
1 in 64,150
Census rank
#6,951
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,659 bearers of the surname Parekh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6951st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Parekh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Parekh
The surname Parekh is of Indian origin, specifically from the state of Gujarat. It is thought to have originated in the medieval period, between the 11th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Parikrama," which means "circumambulation" or "going around." It is believed to have been a title or occupation for those who performed rituals or worked in temples.
In ancient Hindu scriptures, there are references to individuals with the title "Parikramakar," which may have later evolved into the surname Parekh. The name is predominantly found among the Gujarati Brahmin community, who were traditionally involved in religious and scholarly pursuits.
The earliest known recorded instances of the surname Parekh can be found in various historical documents and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries in Gujarat. One notable example is the "Rajput Prakash," a historical text written in the 17th century, which mentions individuals with the surname Parekh.
Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Parekh have made significant contributions in various fields. One such person was Vinayak Narhari Parekh (1908-1983), a renowned Indian jurist and former judge of the Supreme Court of India. Another notable figure was Chunilal Parekh (1896-1976), a prominent Indian industrialist and co-founder of the Saurashtra Cement and Chemical Industries Limited.
In the realm of literature, Rasiklal Chhotalal Parekh (1876-1945) was a celebrated Gujarati poet and writer, known for his contributions to the Gujarati literary tradition. Govardhanram Tripathi Parekh (1905-1987) was a distinguished Sanskrit scholar and author, renowned for his translations of ancient Hindu texts.
Lastly, Raman Parekh (1925-1994) was a prominent Indian architect and urban planner, recognized for his work in designing and planning cities, including the development of the city of Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Parekh who have left their mark in various fields throughout history, showcasing the rich heritage and contributions associated with this ancient Indian surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Parekh
Among Census respondents with the surname Parekh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Parekh 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 Parekh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.0% · 4,334
- White3.1% · 145
- Two or more races2.6% · 123
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 17
- Black or African American0.3% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Parekh
Parekh 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
#9,770
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,316
+1,187 bearers (+55.8%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Up 3,395 places
2020
#6,951
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,659
+1,343 bearers (+40.5%)
Per 100,000 1.56
Rank movement Up 2,819 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,165 | 2,129 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,770 | 3,316 | 1.12 | +1,187 bearers (+55.8%) | Up 3,395 places |
| 2020 | #6,951 | 4,659 | 1.56 | +1,343 bearers (+40.5%) | Up 2,819 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 Parekh 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 | #9,770 | #6,951 | 28.9% |
| Count | 3,316 | 4,659 | 40.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.12 | 1.56 | 39.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Parekh bearers went from 3,316 to 4,659 (+40.5% change). The surname moved up 2,819 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,770 to #6,951.
FAQ
Parekh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Parekh?
Name Census estimates that about 5,343 living Americans carry the surname Parekh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 64,150 residents.
How common is Parekh?
Parekh ranks #6,951 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,659 people with the surname Parekh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,343), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Parekh.
Has Parekh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Parekh went from 3,316 recorded bearers to 4,659. That is an increase of 1,343 (+40.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,770 to #6,951.
What does the Census say about the background of Parekh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Parekh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Parekh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (4,334 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Parekh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.0%), White (3.1%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Parekh (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 Parekh mean?
A Gujarati surname indicating the individual's ancestors worked as record-keepers, treasurers, or held similar administrative positions. 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 Parekh (1.56 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 are called Parekh?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Parekh on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.