2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Surh
A surname derived from a Persian word meaning "red" or "crimson".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Surh. 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 Surh 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 Surh 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 Surh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (8.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Surh
The surname SURH has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically tracing back to the Sanskrit language from ancient times. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Surya," meaning the sun or solar deity. This name may have been originally used to refer to individuals who were associated with the sun, either through their occupations, lineage, or personal characteristics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SURH can be found in ancient Hindu texts and manuscripts, where it was often used to describe individuals with a connection to the sun or solar worship. In some cases, the name was also used to refer to individuals with a reddish or golden complexion, as these were seen as qualities associated with the sun.
During the medieval period, the name SURH appeared in various historical records and documents, particularly in regions of India and parts of present-day Pakistan. Some notable mentions include the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, which listed individuals with the surname SURH among the nobility and administrative ranks.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname SURH was Surh Devi, a 13th-century Hindu queen and the wife of Raja Bir Singh of the Chauhan dynasty in Rajasthan. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her involvement in the construction of several temples and monuments.
Another notable figure was Surh Das, a 16th-century Indian philosopher and poet who wrote extensively on devotional themes and was a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement. His works, such as the "Surh Sagar," continue to be widely studied and revered in certain regions of India.
In the 18th century, the name SURH gained further prominence with the rise of Surh Singh, a renowned Sikh warrior and military leader who played a crucial role in the struggle against Afghan invaders. His bravery and leadership skills earned him a place in Sikh history and folklore.
During the 19th century, the name SURH was also associated with places and regions in India. For instance, the town of Surhaulia in the modern-day state of Uttar Pradesh was once known as "Surh," likely named after individuals or families with the surname SURH who may have resided or held influence in that area.
Throughout history, the surname SURH has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, warriors, and administrative officials. While its exact origins may be rooted in ancient Sanskrit and Hindu traditions, the name has transcended time and cultural boundaries, becoming a part of the rich tapestry of Indian surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Surh
Among Census respondents with the surname Surh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (8.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Surh 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 Surh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander77.1% · 91
- Two or more races14.4% · 17
- White8.5% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Surh
Surh 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-3 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,280 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,283 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.4%) | Down 11,280 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 4,283 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 Surh 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 | #139,228 | #143,511 | -3.1% |
| Count | 120 | 118 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Surh bearers went from 120 to 118 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 4,283 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #143,511.
FAQ
Surh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Surh?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Surh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Surh?
Surh 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 Surh. 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 Surh.
Has Surh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Surh went from 120 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Surh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Surh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (8.5%). 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 Surh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.1% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Surh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (77.1%), Two or More Races (14.4%), White (8.5%). 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 Surh (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 Surh mean?
A surname derived from a Persian word meaning "red" or "crimson". 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 Surh (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 Americans have the surname Surh?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.