2000
#3,172
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,376
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.85
Uncommon Last name
Gupta
A surname of Indian origin referring to a member of the Vaishya caste, traditionally associated with merchants and traders.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 36,203 Americans carry the last name Gupta. That puts it at #1,090 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,468 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gupta 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 Gupta with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
36K
1 in 9,468
Census rank
#1,090
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
32K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 31,571 bearers of the surname Gupta in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1090th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gupta, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gupta
The surname Gupta originated in India and has its roots in the Sanskrit language. It is derived from the word "gupta," which means "protected" or "hidden." The name is believed to have originated during the Gupta Empire, which ruled over a vast territory in northern India between the 4th and 6th centuries AD.
The Gupta Empire was known for its cultural and intellectual achievements, and many scholars and poets flourished during this period. It is possible that the surname Gupta was initially adopted by individuals or families associated with the Gupta rulers or their court.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gupta can be found in the Allahabad Pillar inscription, which dates back to the 4th century AD. This inscription mentions the Gupta emperor Samudragupta and his achievements.
Another historical reference to the name Gupta can be found in the works of the renowned Sanskrit poet and playwright Kalidasa, who lived during the Gupta period. Kalidasa is considered one of the greatest poets and dramatists in the history of Indian literature.
In the medieval period, the Gupta surname was associated with various ruling dynasties and noble families across different regions of India. Some notable individuals with the Gupta surname include Chanakya Gupta, a celebrated Indian teacher, philosopher, and royal advisor who lived in the 4th century BC, and Aryabhata, a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 5th century AD.
During the 12th century, the Gupta surname gained prominence in the region of Bengal, where the Sena dynasty ruled. One of the most famous rulers of this dynasty was Lakshmana Sena, who was also known as Lakshmana Gupta.
In more recent history, several individuals with the Gupta surname have made significant contributions in various fields. One such individual was Radhanath Gupta, a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who lived from 1888 to 1963.
Another notable figure was Dwijendralal Gupta, a Bengali writer and educator who was born in 1889 and played a significant role in promoting the use of the Bengali language and literature.
It is worth noting that the Gupta surname is not limited to any particular region or community in India and is found across various states and among different linguistic and cultural groups.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gupta
Among Census respondents with the surname Gupta, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Gupta 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 Gupta surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.1% · 29,404
- White3.0% · 962
- Two or more races2.5% · 782
- Black or African American0.5% · 158
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 153
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 112
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gupta
Gupta 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
#1,886
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 19,057
+8,681 bearers (+83.7%)
Per 100,000 6.46
Rank movement Up 1,286 places
2020
#1,090
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 31,571
+12,514 bearers (+65.7%)
Per 100,000 10.56
Rank movement Up 796 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,172 | 10,376 | 3.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,886 | 19,057 | 6.46 | +8,681 bearers (+83.7%) | Up 1,286 places |
| 2020 | #1,090 | 31,571 | 10.56 | +12,514 bearers (+65.7%) | Up 796 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 Gupta 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 | #1,886 | #1,090 | 42.2% |
| Count | 19,057 | 31,571 | 65.7% |
| Per 100K | 6.46 | 10.56 | 63.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gupta bearers went from 19,057 to 31,571 (+65.7% change). The surname moved up 796 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,886 to #1,090.
FAQ
Gupta surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gupta?
Name Census estimates that about 36,203 living Americans carry the surname Gupta. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 9,468 residents.
How common is Gupta?
Gupta ranks #1,090 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 10.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 11 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 31,571 people with the surname Gupta. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (36,203), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 10.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 10.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 11 of them to have the surname Gupta.
Has Gupta become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gupta went from 19,057 recorded bearers to 31,571. That is an increase of 12,514 (+65.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,886 to #1,090.
What does the Census say about the background of Gupta?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gupta, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Gupta in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (29,404 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gupta appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.1%), White (3.0%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Gupta (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 Gupta mean?
A surname of Indian origin referring to a member of the Vaishya caste, traditionally associated with merchants and traders. 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 Gupta (10.56 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 Gupta?
Want to know how many people are called Gupta? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.