2000
#102,173
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Kariya
A locality surname originating from areas near Kyoto, Japan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 175 Americans carry the last name Kariya. That puts it at #119,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,958,596 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kariya 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
175
1 in 1,958,596
Census rank
#119,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
153
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 153 bearers of the surname Kariya in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 119572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kariya, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (11.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kariya
The surname Kariya originates from India and is believed to have its roots in the Sanskrit language. It is derived from the word "karya," which means "work" or "action." The name may have initially been used to identify individuals associated with specific professions or occupations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kariya can be found in ancient Hindu texts and manuscripts dating back to the 5th century CE. These documents often mentioned individuals with this surname, suggesting its widespread use among certain communities in the Indian subcontinent.
During the medieval period, the Kariya surname gained prominence in various regions of India, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. It is believed that the name was associated with certain ruling dynasties and influential families, though specific historical records are scarce.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Kariya Malla (1340-1395) was a prominent ruler of the Malla dynasty, which governed parts of present-day Nepal and the surrounding regions. His reign was marked by significant architectural and cultural achievements, including the construction of several temples and monasteries.
Another historical figure bearing the Kariya surname was Kariya Bindusar (1520-1585), a celebrated poet and scholar from the Mughal Empire era. His works, which included poetry and philosophical treatises, were widely admired and contributed to the rich literary tradition of the time.
During the 18th century, the Kariya surname gained further recognition with the rise of Kariya Narayan (1725-1790), a renowned military leader and strategist. He played a crucial role in various battles and campaigns, earning a reputation for his tactical prowess and leadership skills.
In more recent times, the Kariya surname has been associated with several notable individuals, such as Kariya Vinod (1928-2002), a celebrated author and playwright whose works explored themes of social justice and cultural identity.
It is worth noting that the surname Kariya has also been found in various spellings and variations across different regions and languages, including Kariyah, Kareya, and Kareya, among others.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kariya
Among Census respondents with the surname Kariya, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (11.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kariya 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 Kariya surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.6% · 108
- Two or more races14.4% · 22
- White11.8% · 18
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 3
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kariya
Kariya 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
#121,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
-21 bearers (-12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 19,417 places
2020
#119,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
+11 bearers (+7.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 2,018 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #102,173 | 163 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #121,590 | 142 | 0.05 | -21 bearers (-12.9%) | Down 19,417 places |
| 2020 | #119,572 | 153 | 0.05 | +11 bearers (+7.7%) | Up 2,018 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 Kariya 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 | #121,590 | #119,572 | 1.7% |
| Count | 142 | 153 | 7.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 2.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kariya bearers went from 142 to 153 (+7.7% change). The surname moved up 2,018 positions in the national ranking, going from #121,590 to #119,572.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Kariya
FAQ
Kariya surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kariya?
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the surname Kariya. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,958,596 residents.
How common is Kariya?
Kariya ranks #119,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 153 people with the surname Kariya. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (175), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Kariya.
Has Kariya become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kariya went from 142 recorded bearers to 153. That is an increase of 11 (+7.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #121,590 to #119,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Kariya?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kariya, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (11.8%). 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 Kariya in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.6% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kariya appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.6%), Two or More Races (14.4%), White (11.8%). 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 Kariya (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 Kariya mean?
A locality surname originating from areas near Kyoto, Japan. 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 Kariya (0.05 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 common is the surname Kariya?
Want to know how common the surname Kariya is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.