Find out how popular the last name Thapar is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Thapar.

Thapar, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Thapar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thapar in America

Thapar is the 58735th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thapar surname appeared 345 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Thapar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thapar to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Thapar

The surname Thapar is of Indian origin, originating from the Punjab region of northern India. It likely has roots in the Sanskrit language, with a possible connection to the word 'thappar', meaning 'slap' or 'strike'. The name may have been derived from an occupation or a physical characteristic associated with striking or hitting.

The earliest recorded instances of the Thapar surname can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries in historical documents from the Mughal Empire, which ruled over parts of the Indian subcontinent during that time period. Some references suggest that the Thapars were part of the Khatri community, a trading and mercantile group.

One notable bearer of the Thapar name was Lala Dharam Chand Thapar, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who lived from 1844 to 1923. He established the Thapar Group of Companies, which became a leading conglomerate in India, spanning industries such as textiles, paper, and chemicals.

Another significant figure was Pran Nath Thapar (1909-1991), an Indian diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. He was also the first Chairman of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

In the field of education, Karan Thapar (born 1944) is a well-known Indian journalist and television host. He has hosted several influential shows and has been associated with prestigious media organizations like the BBC and CNN.

The Thapar name has also gained recognition in the academic world. Romesh Thapar (1923-2015) was an eminent Indian historian and writer, known for his contributions to the study of ancient and medieval Indian history.

Lastly, Vir Sanghvi (born 1954), an Indian journalist, author, and television personality, is another notable figure with the Thapar surname. He has written extensively on various subjects, including food, travel, and politics.

While the Thapar surname may have originated from a specific region and community in India, it has since spread across the country and has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving a lasting impact on various spheres of Indian society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thapar

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Thapar.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Thapar was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Thapar has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Thapar was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Thapar, please contact us.

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