2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ranis
A surname derived from the Arabic word "ar-ra'is" meaning "the chief" or "the leader".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Ranis. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ranis 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.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Ranis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ranis, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 39.0%. The next largest groups are White (33.9%) and Hispanic (12.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ranis
The surname RANIS is believed to have originated in India, where it was likely derived from the Sanskrit word "rani," meaning "queen" or "princess." It is thought to have first appeared as a surname during the medieval period, when it was commonly used to indicate a person's high social status or connection to royalty.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RANIS can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century Persian manuscript that served as an administrative and statistical record of the Mughal Empire. The document mentions a "Rani Sahiba," who was a prominent figure in the court of Emperor Akbar.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the RANIS surname became more widespread in various parts of India, particularly in the northern regions of the country. Several notable individuals bearing this name emerged during this time, including Rani Durgavati (1524-1567), a powerful Hindu queen who ruled over the Gondwana kingdom and was renowned for her military prowess and courage in battle.
Another historical figure of note was Rani Lakshmibai (1828-1858), the queen of the Indian princely state of Jhansi. She played a pivotal role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, leading her troops against British forces and becoming a symbol of resistance and bravery.
In the 19th century, the RANIS surname also appeared in various historical records and documents related to the British Raj in India. One prominent individual from this era was Rani Avantibai (1835-1858), the queen regent of the princely state of Rampur, who was highly respected for her administrative skills and support for education.
Rani Gaidinliu (1915-1993), a prominent Naga spiritual leader and political activist, was another notable figure who bore the RANIS surname. She played a significant role in the Naga independence movement and was ultimately awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Padma Bhushan, for her contributions.
While the RANIS surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply tied to the Indian subcontinent and the legacy of its royal and influential figures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ranis
Among Census respondents with the surname Ranis, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 39.0%. The next largest groups are White (33.9%) and Hispanic (12.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ranis 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 Ranis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander39.0% · 46
- White33.9% · 40
- Hispanic or Latino12.7% · 15
- Two or more races12.7% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ranis
Ranis 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
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
+12 bearers (+9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 1,370 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-15 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,262 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | +12 bearers (+9.9%) | Up 1,370 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 15,262 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 Ranis 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 | #128,249 | #143,511 | -11.9% |
| Count | 133 | 118 | -11.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ranis bearers went from 133 to 118 (-11.3% change). The surname moved down 15,262 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #143,511.
FAQ
Ranis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ranis?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Ranis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Ranis?
Ranis ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Ranis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Ranis.
Has Ranis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ranis went from 133 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #128,249 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Ranis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ranis, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 39.0%. The next largest groups are White (33.9%) and Hispanic (12.7%). 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 Ranis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 39.0% (46 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ranis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (39.0%), White (33.9%), Hispanic (12.7%). 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 Ranis (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 Ranis mean?
A surname derived from the Arabic word "ar-ra'is" meaning "the chief" or "the leader". 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 Ranis (0.04 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 last name Ranis?
Find out how common the surname Ranis is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.