2010
#118,185
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 147
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Sangar
A surname of possible Polish or Slavic origin, potentially meaning "brave" or "courageous."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 255 Americans carry the last name Sangar. That puts it at #89,563 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,344,135 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sangar 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 Sangar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
255
1 in 1,344,135
Census rank
#89,563
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
222
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 222 bearers of the surname Sangar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 89563rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sangar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.5%. The next largest groups are White (13.1%) and Two or More Races (8.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sangar
The surname SANGAR is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Sangara," which translates to "battle" or "war." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were warriors or soldiers, or perhaps to those who lived in areas where battles were frequent.
One of the earliest documented references to the name SANGAR can be found in the historical records of the Mughal Empire, which ruled a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century. These records mention a SANGAR family that held a prominent position within the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Akbar (1556-1605).
In the 17th century, the name SANGAR appeared in various administrative documents and land records in the regions of present-day Punjab and Haryana. This indicates that the name was well-established in these areas during that time period. Some notable individuals bearing the SANGAR surname from this era include Rai Bhoj Singh SANGAR (1620-1685), a wealthy landowner and military commander who played a crucial role in the defense of Sirhind against the Mughal forces.
As the centuries progressed, the SANGAR name spread across other parts of the subcontinent, with notable individuals emerging in various fields. One such figure was Sardar Ranjit Singh SANGAR (1780-1839), a prominent military leader and statesman who served as the governor of Kashmir under the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire.
In the 19th century, the name SANGAR gained further prominence with the rise of the Indian independence movement. Lala Munshi Ram SANGAR (1851-1928) was a renowned educator and social reformer who played a significant role in promoting education and women's rights in the Punjab region.
Another notable figure was Dr. Gopi Chand SANGAR (1890-1976), a pioneering medical practitioner and philanthropist who established several hospitals and medical institutions in the state of Rajasthan. His contributions to improving healthcare access in rural areas were widely recognized and celebrated.
Throughout its history, the surname SANGAR has been associated with various professions, from military leaders and administrators to intellectuals, educators, and social reformers. While its origins can be traced back to the Indian subcontinent, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sangar
Among Census respondents with the surname Sangar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.5%. The next largest groups are White (13.1%) and Two or More Races (8.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Sangar 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 Sangar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander72.5% · 161
- White13.1% · 29
- Two or more races8.1% · 18
- Black or African American4.1% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sangar
Sangar appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#89,563
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 222
+75 bearers (+51.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 28,622 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #118,185 | 147 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #89,563 | 222 | 0.07 | +75 bearers (+51.0%) | Up 28,622 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 Sangar 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 | #118,185 | #89,563 | 24.2% |
| Count | 147 | 222 | 51.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.07 | 48.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sangar bearers went from 147 to 222 (+51.0% change). The surname moved up 28,622 positions in the national ranking, going from #118,185 to #89,563.
FAQ
Sangar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sangar?
Name Census estimates that about 255 living Americans carry the surname Sangar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,344,135 residents.
How common is Sangar?
Sangar ranks #89,563 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 222 people with the surname Sangar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (255), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Sangar.
Has Sangar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sangar went from 147 recorded bearers to 222. That is an increase of 75 (+51.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #118,185 to #89,563.
What does the Census say about the background of Sangar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sangar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.5%. The next largest groups are White (13.1%) and Two or More Races (8.1%). 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 Sangar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.5% (161 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sangar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (72.5%), White (13.1%), Two or More Races (8.1%). 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 Sangar (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 Sangar mean?
A surname of possible Polish or Slavic origin, potentially meaning "brave" or "courageous." 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 Sangar (0.07 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 Americans have the surname Sangar?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.