2000
#32,094
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 678
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.25
Rare Last name
Suresh
An Indian surname originating from the Sanskrit word "Suresha" meaning 'wealthy' or 'prosperous.'
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,527 Americans carry the last name Suresh. That puts it at #10,003 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 97,180 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Suresh 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 Suresh with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 97,180
Census rank
#10,003
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,076 bearers of the surname Suresh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10003rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Suresh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Suresh
The surname "SURESH" originated in India, and it can be traced back to the Sanskrit language, which was prevalent in the ancient Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "sura," which means "brave" or "valiant," and "isha," which signifies "lord" or "master." Thus, the name "SURESH" can be interpreted as "brave lord" or "valiant master."
One of the earliest documented references to the name "SURESH" can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas and the Puranas. These sacred texts often mentioned individuals with this surname, suggesting that it was a common name among the warrior class or the nobility in ancient India.
During the medieval period, the name "SURESH" gained prominence in various regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern parts of the country. Several notable individuals bore this surname, including Suresh Kumar, a renowned philosopher and poet who lived in the 12th century and was known for his contributions to the field of Advaita Vedanta philosophy.
In the 16th century, the "SURESH" surname was also associated with the Rajput warrior clans of Rajasthan, a state in northwestern India. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Suresh Singh, a valiant Rajput warrior who fought against the Mughal Empire and is celebrated for his bravery and leadership in numerous battles.
As India transitioned into the modern era, the "SURESH" surname continued to be widely used across various communities and regions. One notable figure from the 20th century was Suresh Chandra Banerjee, a distinguished Indian politician and freedom fighter who played a significant role in India's independence movement against British colonial rule.
Another individual of historical significance was Suresh Raina, an Indian cricketer who represented the national team in various formats of the game. Born in 1986, Raina was known for his aggressive batting style and exceptional fielding abilities, earning him widespread recognition and admiration within the cricketing fraternity.
Throughout its history, the surname "SURESH" has maintained a strong association with bravery, valor, and leadership, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Indian subcontinent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Suresh
Among Census respondents with the surname Suresh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Suresh 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 Suresh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.4% · 2,904
- White2.6% · 81
- Two or more races1.0% · 31
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 19
- Black or African American0.5% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Suresh
Suresh 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
#17,789
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,574
+896 bearers (+132.2%)
Per 100,000 0.53
Rank movement Up 14,305 places
2020
#10,003
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,076
+1,502 bearers (+95.4%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Up 7,786 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #32,094 | 678 | 0.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,789 | 1,574 | 0.53 | +896 bearers (+132.2%) | Up 14,305 places |
| 2020 | #10,003 | 3,076 | 1.03 | +1,502 bearers (+95.4%) | Up 7,786 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 Suresh 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 | #17,789 | #10,003 | 43.8% |
| Count | 1,574 | 3,076 | 95.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.53 | 1.03 | 94.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Suresh bearers went from 1,574 to 3,076 (+95.4% change). The surname moved up 7,786 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,789 to #10,003.
FAQ
Suresh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Suresh?
Name Census estimates that about 3,527 living Americans carry the surname Suresh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 97,180 residents.
How common is Suresh?
Suresh ranks #10,003 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.03 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 3,076 people with the surname Suresh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,527), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.03 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 Suresh.
Has Suresh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Suresh went from 1,574 recorded bearers to 3,076. That is an increase of 1,502 (+95.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,789 to #10,003.
What does the Census say about the background of Suresh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Suresh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Suresh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (2,904 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Suresh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.4%), White (2.6%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Suresh (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 Suresh mean?
An Indian surname originating from the Sanskrit word "Suresha" meaning 'wealthy' or 'prosperous.' 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 Suresh (1.03 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 share the surname Suresh?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.