2000
#50,801
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 386
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.14
Rare Last name
Thapa
A Nepalese surname of Chhetri or Magar origin, indicating a connection to the Thapa clan or family.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,416 Americans carry the last name Thapa. That puts it at #5,215 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 46,218 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thapa 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 Thapa with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.4K
1 in 46,218
Census rank
#5,215
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,467 bearers of the surname Thapa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5215th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thapa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thapa
The surname Thapa is of Nepali origin, with roots tracing back several centuries. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word 'sthapaka,' which means 'one who establishes or founds.' This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who played a significant role in establishing settlements or communities.
The Thapa surname is predominant among the Khas people, an ethnic group native to the western and central regions of Nepal. Historical records indicate that the Thapa clan held influential positions in various Nepalese kingdoms, particularly during the Gorkha Kingdom era (1559–1768).
One of the earliest documented mentions of the Thapa name can be found in the chronicles of the Nepalese royal court during the 16th century. Amar Singh Thapa, a renowned military commander and statesman, played a crucial role in the unification of Nepal under the Gorkha Empire in the late 18th century.
Another notable figure from the Thapa lineage was Bhimsen Thapa (1775–1839), who served as the prime minister of Nepal and commander-in-chief of the Nepalese army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816). His strategic leadership and diplomatic skills were instrumental in shaping Nepal's political landscape during that period.
In the late 19th century, Ranodip Singh Thapa (1841–1892) gained prominence as a revered poet and writer. His literary works, particularly his poems, are considered significant contributions to Nepali literature and have been widely celebrated.
The Thapa surname has also been associated with various place names across Nepal, such as Thapatoli and Thapal Danda, further solidifying its deep-rooted presence in the region's cultural and geographical landscape.
Other notable individuals bearing the Thapa surname include Prachanda Man Singh Thapa (1797–1858), a military leader and statesman; Bhupi Shamsher Rana Thapa (1797–1858), a distinguished general; and Gagan Singh Thapa (1822–1876), a renowned warrior and military commander.
While the Thapa surname has its origins in Nepal, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. Individuals carrying this surname can be found in various countries, reflecting the rich cultural diversity and historical significance of this ancient name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thapa
Among Census respondents with the surname Thapa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Thapa 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 Thapa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.0% · 6,206
- White1.8% · 115
- Two or more races1.3% · 81
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 33
- Black or African American0.4% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thapa
Thapa 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
#13,148
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,328
+1,942 bearers (+503.1%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Up 37,653 places
2020
#5,215
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,467
+4,139 bearers (+177.8%)
Per 100,000 2.16
Rank movement Up 7,933 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #50,801 | 386 | 0.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,148 | 2,328 | 0.79 | +1,942 bearers (+503.1%) | Up 37,653 places |
| 2020 | #5,215 | 6,467 | 2.16 | +4,139 bearers (+177.8%) | Up 7,933 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 Thapa 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 | #13,148 | #5,215 | 60.3% |
| Count | 2,328 | 6,467 | 177.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.79 | 2.16 | 173.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thapa bearers went from 2,328 to 6,467 (+177.8% change). The surname moved up 7,933 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,148 to #5,215.
FAQ
Thapa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thapa?
Name Census estimates that about 7,416 living Americans carry the surname Thapa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 46,218 residents.
How common is Thapa?
Thapa ranks #5,215 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,467 people with the surname Thapa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,416), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Thapa.
Has Thapa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thapa went from 2,328 recorded bearers to 6,467. That is an increase of 4,139 (+177.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,148 to #5,215.
What does the Census say about the background of Thapa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thapa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Thapa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (6,206 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thapa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.0%), White (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Thapa (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 Thapa mean?
A Nepalese surname of Chhetri or Magar origin, indicating a connection to the Thapa clan or family. 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 Thapa (2.16 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 Thapa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.