2000
#28,790
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 778
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.29
Rare Last name
Thakur
A title of respect and feudal landlord in parts of India.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,907 Americans carry the last name Thakur. That puts it at #9,194 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 87,728 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thakur 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 Thakur with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.9K
1 in 87,728
Census rank
#9,194
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,407 bearers of the surname Thakur in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9194th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thakur, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thakur
The surname Thakur originates from the Indian subcontinent, primarily from the northern regions of India and parts of neighboring Nepal. The name has its roots in the Sanskrit language, with the word "Thakkura" referring to a noble, lord, or master. It traces its origins back to ancient times, possibly as early as the 5th century CE.
The name Thakur has been associated with members of the ruling classes, particularly those from the Rajput and Brahmin communities. It was often used as a title of respect and honor for individuals of high social standing or those who held significant land holdings and administrative powers.
Historical references to the name Thakur can be found in various ancient texts and manuscripts, such as the Puranas and other Hindu religious literature. It is also mentioned in inscriptions and records from medieval times, particularly in regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Thakur can be found in the 12th century CE, when the Chauhan ruler Prithviraj Chauhan, also known as Prithviraj Thakur, ruled over parts of present-day Rajasthan and Delhi. Other notable individuals with the surname Thakur include Thakur Ranmat Singh (1608-1644), a Rajput warrior and ruler of the Gohad state in central India, and Thakur Karan Singh (1663-1698), the founder of the princely state of Bikaner in Rajasthan.
In the 18th century, Thakur Kushal Singh (1765-1828) was a prominent ruler of the Rathore clan in Rajasthan, known for his military prowess and administrative skills. During the British colonial period, Thakur Devi Singh (1817-1874) served as the Prime Minister of the princely state of Jodhpur and played a significant role in its administration.
Another notable figure with the surname Thakur was Thakur Ganga Singh (1880-1942), the Maharaja of Bikaner from 1887 to 1942. He was known for his progressive reforms and contributions to the development of Bikaner state.
While the surname Thakur has its origins in the northern regions of India, it has since spread to other parts of the country and is found among various communities, reflecting the diverse cultural and social fabric of the subcontinent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thakur
Among Census respondents with the surname Thakur, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Thakur 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 Thakur surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.9% · 3,132
- White3.6% · 121
- Two or more races2.7% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 26
- Black or African American0.6% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thakur
Thakur 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
#16,171
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,787
+1,009 bearers (+129.7%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 12,619 places
2020
#9,194
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,407
+1,620 bearers (+90.7%)
Per 100,000 1.14
Rank movement Up 6,977 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,790 | 778 | 0.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,171 | 1,787 | 0.61 | +1,009 bearers (+129.7%) | Up 12,619 places |
| 2020 | #9,194 | 3,407 | 1.14 | +1,620 bearers (+90.7%) | Up 6,977 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 Thakur 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 | #16,171 | #9,194 | 43.1% |
| Count | 1,787 | 3,407 | 90.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.61 | 1.14 | 86.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thakur bearers went from 1,787 to 3,407 (+90.7% change). The surname moved up 6,977 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,171 to #9,194.
FAQ
Thakur surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thakur?
Name Census estimates that about 3,907 living Americans carry the surname Thakur. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 87,728 residents.
How common is Thakur?
Thakur ranks #9,194 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.14 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 3,407 people with the surname Thakur. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,907), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.14 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 Thakur.
Has Thakur become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thakur went from 1,787 recorded bearers to 3,407. That is an increase of 1,620 (+90.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,171 to #9,194.
What does the Census say about the background of Thakur?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thakur, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Thakur in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (3,132 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thakur appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.9%), White (3.6%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Thakur (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 Thakur mean?
A title of respect and feudal landlord in parts of India. 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 Thakur (1.14 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 Thakur?
Want to know how common the surname Thakur is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.