2000
#7,920
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,875
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.44
Uncommon Last name
Rana
A surname of Italian and Spanish origin referring to a person who lived near or worked with frogs.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,331 Americans carry the last name Rana. That puts it at #3,524 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 30,249 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rana 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 Rana with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 30,249
Census rank
#3,524
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.9K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,881 bearers of the surname Rana in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3524th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rana, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.6%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rana
The surname RANA originated in India, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "rana," which means "warrior" or "soldier." The name is particularly prevalent in the northern regions of India, such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab.
One of the earliest known references to the name RANA can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, which mentions a warrior named Rana Pratap Singh, who fought against the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. The name gained prominence during the reign of the Rajput rulers, who were known for their bravery and military prowess.
In the 12th century, the RANA surname was associated with the ruling dynasty of Mewar, a region in present-day Rajasthan. The most notable figure from this lineage was Maharana Pratap Singh (1540-1597), a renowned Rajput ruler who led the resistance against the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Another notable individual with the surname RANA was Raja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), the founder of the Sikh Empire in the Punjab region. He was known for his military campaigns and his efforts to unite the Sikh kingdoms under his rule.
The RANA surname has also been recorded in various historical documents and manuscripts, such as the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative manual commissioned by Emperor Akbar, which mentions the name in connection with the Rajput rulers.
Other notable individuals with the RANA surname include:
1. Kavi Rana (14th century), a renowned poet and scholar from Gujarat.
2. Rana Sanga (1484-1528), a Rajput warrior and ruler of the Mewar kingdom, who fought against the Mughal Empire.
3. Rana Bhim Singh (1778-1823), a Rajput ruler of the princely state of Jaipur.
4. Rana Hamir Singh (1472-1528), a Rajput ruler of the Rathore clan, who fought against the Mughal Empire.
5. Rana Udai Singh II (1537-1572), a Rajput ruler of Mewar, known for his architectural contributions, including the construction of the Udai Vilas Palace.
The RANA surname has a rich history and is deeply rooted in the martial traditions of India, particularly among the Rajput warriors and rulers. Its association with bravery, nobility, and military prowess has made it a prominent surname in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rana
Among Census respondents with the surname Rana, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.6%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Rana 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 Rana surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander88.8% · 8,779
- White5.6% · 550
- Two or more races3.0% · 296
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 139
- Black or African American0.7% · 69
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 48
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rana
Rana 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
#4,923
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,145
+3,270 bearers (+84.4%)
Per 100,000 2.42
Rank movement Up 2,997 places
2020
#3,524
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,881
+2,736 bearers (+38.3%)
Per 100,000 3.31
Rank movement Up 1,399 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,920 | 3,875 | 1.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,923 | 7,145 | 2.42 | +3,270 bearers (+84.4%) | Up 2,997 places |
| 2020 | #3,524 | 9,881 | 3.31 | +2,736 bearers (+38.3%) | Up 1,399 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 Rana 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 | #4,923 | #3,524 | 28.4% |
| Count | 7,145 | 9,881 | 38.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.42 | 3.31 | 36.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rana bearers went from 7,145 to 9,881 (+38.3% change). The surname moved up 1,399 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,923 to #3,524.
FAQ
Rana surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rana?
Name Census estimates that about 11,331 living Americans carry the surname Rana. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 30,249 residents.
How common is Rana?
Rana ranks #3,524 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,881 people with the surname Rana. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,331), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Rana.
Has Rana become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rana went from 7,145 recorded bearers to 9,881. That is an increase of 2,736 (+38.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,923 to #3,524.
What does the Census say about the background of Rana?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rana, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.6%) and Two or More Races (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 Rana in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (8,779 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rana appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (88.8%), White (5.6%), Two or More Races (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 Rana (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 Rana mean?
A surname of Italian and Spanish origin referring to a person who lived near or worked with frogs. 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 Rana (3.31 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 Rana?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.