2000
#19,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,324
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Rajan
A surname of Indian origin, indicating a princely or royal lineage, derived from the Sanskrit word for "king."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,667 Americans carry the last name Rajan. That puts it at #9,690 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 93,470 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rajan 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 Rajan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 93,470
Census rank
#9,690
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,198 bearers of the surname Rajan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9690th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rajan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rajan
The surname Rajan has its origins in India, with the earliest recorded examples dating back several centuries. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Raja," which means "king" or "ruler." This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been members of the ruling class or aristocracy.
One of the oldest known references to the name Rajan can be found in ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and the Puranas. These sacred scriptures mention various kings and rulers with the title "Rajan," indicating the name's long-standing association with royalty and power.
During the medieval period, the name Rajan was particularly prevalent in the southern regions of India, including the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Historical records from this era, such as inscriptions on temple walls and royal chronicles, often mention individuals bearing the name Rajan.
One notable figure from this time was Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529), the celebrated ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. He was widely known by his title "Sri Krishnadevaraya Rajan," a testament to the significance of the name Rajan in the context of kingship and sovereignty.
In the 16th century, the name Rajan also gained prominence in parts of northern India, particularly in the region of Rajasthan. The Rajput clans, known for their warrior traditions, occasionally adopted the name Rajan as a symbol of their military prowess and leadership.
Another historical figure of note was Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833), a prominent Indian renaissance man and social reformer. He played a pivotal role in the abolition of the practice of Sati (widow burning) and the establishment of the Brahmo Samaj, a progressive religious movement.
As the centuries progressed, the name Rajan spread across various regions of India, and individuals from diverse backgrounds adopted it. One such individual was C. Rajagopalachari (1878-1972), a prominent Indian freedom fighter, statesman, and the last Governor-General of India before independence.
It is worth noting that while the name Rajan has its roots in India, it has also been adopted by communities in other parts of the world, particularly among the Indian diaspora. However, the core significance of the name remains tied to its Indian origins and the historical connotations of kingship and nobility.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rajan
Among Census respondents with the surname Rajan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Rajan 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 Rajan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.8% · 2,936
- White3.7% · 119
- Two or more races3.1% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 26
- Black or African American0.4% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rajan
Rajan 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
#14,893
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,987
+663 bearers (+50.1%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 4,135 places
2020
#9,690
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,198
+1,211 bearers (+60.9%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 5,203 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,028 | 1,324 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,893 | 1,987 | 0.67 | +663 bearers (+50.1%) | Up 4,135 places |
| 2020 | #9,690 | 3,198 | 1.07 | +1,211 bearers (+60.9%) | Up 5,203 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 Rajan 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 | #14,893 | #9,690 | 34.9% |
| Count | 1,987 | 3,198 | 60.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.67 | 1.07 | 59.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rajan bearers went from 1,987 to 3,198 (+60.9% change). The surname moved up 5,203 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,893 to #9,690.
FAQ
Rajan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rajan?
Name Census estimates that about 3,667 living Americans carry the surname Rajan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 93,470 residents.
How common is Rajan?
Rajan ranks #9,690 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,198 people with the surname Rajan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,667), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.07 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rajan.
Has Rajan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rajan went from 1,987 recorded bearers to 3,198. That is an increase of 1,211 (+60.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,893 to #9,690.
What does the Census say about the background of Rajan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rajan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Rajan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (2,936 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rajan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.8%), White (3.7%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Rajan (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 Rajan mean?
A surname of Indian origin, indicating a princely or royal lineage, derived from the Sanskrit word for "king." 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 Rajan (1.07 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 surname Rajan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.