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

Pokharel, 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 Pokharel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pokharel in America

Pokharel is the 49824th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pokharel surname appeared 421 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 Pokharel.

The history of the last name Pokharel

The surname Pokharel has its origins in Nepal, a landlocked country in South Asia. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Nepali words "Pokhar," meaning lake or pond, and "El," which signifies a region or area. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place or locality near a lake or pond.

One of the earliest references to the name Pokharel can be found in the Gopalarajavamsavali, a chronicle of Nepalese kings written in the 14th century. This manuscript mentions a person named Pokharel who held a prominent position in the court of King Jayasthiti Malla, who ruled the Kathmandu Valley from 1382 to 1395 AD.

The name Pokharel is closely associated with the Newar community, an ethnic group native to the Kathmandu Valley region of Nepal. In the 16th century, a Newar scholar and poet named Jagat Pokharel gained recognition for his literary contributions. He was born in 1525 and passed away in 1595.

Another notable figure with the surname Pokharel was Kaji Bhimsen Pokharel, a prominent military leader and statesman who lived during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a significant role in the unification of Nepal under the Shah dynasty and served as the Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) from 1804 to 1805.

In the 19th century, Jaya Pokharel, a Nepalese writer and historian, authored several books documenting the history and culture of Nepal. He was born in 1845 and died in 1912.

More recently, Bhawani Pokharel, born in 1932, gained recognition as a renowned Nepali writer and academic. He authored numerous books and served as the Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, Nepal's oldest and largest university.

Throughout history, the surname Pokharel has been associated with various place names and localities in Nepal, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley region. Some examples include Pokhara, a city known for its scenic lakes, and Pokhareli, a village located in the Kavre district of Nepal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pokharel

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

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 Pokharel 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.

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

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

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