2000
#43,708
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 465
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Rare Last name
Magar
A surname derived from the village of Magar in Maharashtra, India.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,091 Americans carry the last name Magar. That puts it at #7,247 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,326 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Magar 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 Magar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.1K
1 in 67,326
Census rank
#7,247
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,440 bearers of the surname Magar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7247th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Magar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.2%. The next largest groups are White (9.0%) and Hispanic (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Magar
The surname Magar is of Indian origin, primarily found in the northern and central regions of the country. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Maagara," which means "cultivator" or "farmer." The earliest records of this surname can be traced back to the 12th century, during the period of the Delhi Sultanate.
The name Magar was initially associated with agrarian communities and landowners in various parts of northern India. Some historical accounts mention the presence of Magar families in the regions of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan during the medieval era.
One notable reference to the Magar name is found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document compiled during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. It lists several Magar landholders and their holdings in various districts.
The earliest recorded bearer of the surname Magar is believed to be Dhara Magar, a prominent landowner from the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh, who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Rani Magar, a feudal landlord in the Rajput kingdom of Mewar, who played a significant role in the region's politics during the 15th century.
In the 18th century, the Magar surname gained prominence in the region of Punjab, where several members of the community held positions of influence under the Sikh rulers. Bhai Magar Singh, born in 1720, was a renowned warrior and general in the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
During the British colonial period in India, the Magar surname was also found among the landed gentry and zamindars (landlords) in various parts of northern and central India. One prominent figure was Raja Magar Mal, a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from the state of Uttar Pradesh, who lived in the late 19th century and was known for his contributions to education and social welfare.
Over the centuries, the Magar surname has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, military service, and administrative roles. While the name has its origins in northern India, it has also spread to other parts of the country due to migration and social mobility.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Magar
Among Census respondents with the surname Magar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.2%. The next largest groups are White (9.0%) and Hispanic (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Magar 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 Magar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander89.2% · 3,959
- White9.0% · 399
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 33
- Two or more races0.6% · 28
- Black or African American0.4% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Magar
Magar 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
#28,679
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 831
+366 bearers (+78.7%)
Per 100,000 0.28
Rank movement Up 15,029 places
2020
#7,247
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,440
+3,609 bearers (+434.3%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Up 21,432 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #43,708 | 465 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #28,679 | 831 | 0.28 | +366 bearers (+78.7%) | Up 15,029 places |
| 2020 | #7,247 | 4,440 | 1.49 | +3,609 bearers (+434.3%) | Up 21,432 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 Magar 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 | #28,679 | #7,247 | 74.7% |
| Count | 831 | 4,440 | 434.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.28 | 1.49 | 430.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Magar bearers went from 831 to 4,440 (+434.3% change). The surname moved up 21,432 positions in the national ranking, going from #28,679 to #7,247.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Magar
FAQ
Magar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Magar?
Name Census estimates that about 5,091 living Americans carry the surname Magar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,326 residents.
How common is Magar?
Magar ranks #7,247 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.49 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 4,440 people with the surname Magar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,091), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.49 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 Magar.
Has Magar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Magar went from 831 recorded bearers to 4,440. That is an increase of 3,609 (+434.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #28,679 to #7,247.
What does the Census say about the background of Magar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Magar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 89.2%. The next largest groups are White (9.0%) and Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Magar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.2% (3,959 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Magar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (89.2%), White (9.0%), Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Magar (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 Magar mean?
A surname derived from the village of Magar in Maharashtra, 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 Magar (1.49 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 share the surname Magar?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.