2000
#172
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145,066
First available Census row
Per 100,000 53.78
Common Last name
Patel
A status name derived from the Indian term "patidar," denoting a landowner or village headman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 354,713 Americans carry the last name Patel. That puts it at #63 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 103.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 966 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Patel 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 Patel with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
355K
1 in 966
Census rank
#63
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
103.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
309K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 309,327 bearers of the surname Patel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 103.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 63rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Patel, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Patel
The surname Patel originated in India and is derived from the Sanskrit word "Pati," which means "headman" or "village chief." The name is most commonly associated with the Patidar community, a group of landowners and farmers from the Indian state of Gujarat.
In ancient times, the Patel surname was given to those who held positions of authority and leadership within their respective villages. These individuals were responsible for overseeing the village's affairs, resolving disputes, and ensuring the well-being of the community.
The earliest known references to the Patel surname can be traced back to the 12th century, when it appeared in various historical texts and records from the Gujarat region. One notable example is the Navanathabhushan, a Sanskrit text written in the late 12th century, which mentions several individuals with the Patel surname.
During the medieval period, the Patel surname gained prominence as the Patidar community played a significant role in the agricultural and economic development of Gujarat. The surname was associated with landowners and influential figures who wielded considerable power and influence within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Patel surname was Rajaram Patel, a prominent landowner and community leader who lived in the 14th century. He was known for his contributions to the development of irrigation systems and agricultural practices in the region.
Another notable figure was Ranchhodji Patel, a 17th-century landowner and philanthropist who established several educational institutions and temples in Gujarat. His legacy continues to be celebrated by the Patel community to this day.
In the 19th century, the Patel surname gained further recognition with the rise of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a prominent freedom fighter and one of the key figures in India's struggle for independence. Born in 1875, Sardar Patel played a pivotal role in uniting the princely states of India and is widely regarded as the "Iron Man of India."
Other notable individuals with the Patel surname include Natwarlal Patel, a celebrated Indian painter born in 1928, and Ramanbhai Patel, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who lived from 1921 to 2010.
Over time, the Patel surname has spread across India and beyond, with members of the Patidar community settling in various parts of the world. While the name retains its strong connection to the Gujarati heritage, it has become a recognizable surname globally, representing the rich cultural and historical significance of its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Patel
Among Census respondents with the surname Patel, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Patel 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 Patel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.8% · 290,005
- White3.0% · 9,373
- Two or more races1.6% · 4,797
- Black or African American0.6% · 1,946
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1,781
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 1,425
Timeline
Historical Census data for Patel
Patel 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
#95
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 229,973
+84,907 bearers (+58.5%)
Per 100,000 77.96
Rank movement Up 77 places
2020
#63
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 309,327
+79,354 bearers (+34.5%)
Per 100,000 103.49
Rank movement Up 32 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #172 | 145,066 | 53.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #95 | 229,973 | 77.96 | +84,907 bearers (+58.5%) | Up 77 places |
| 2020 | #63 | 309,327 | 103.49 | +79,354 bearers (+34.5%) | Up 32 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 Patel 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 | #95 | #63 | 33.7% |
| Count | 229,973 | 309,327 | 34.5% |
| Per 100K | 77.96 | 103.49 | 32.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Patel bearers went from 229,973 to 309,327 (+34.5% change). The surname moved up 32 positions in the national ranking, going from #95 to #63.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Patel
FAQ
Patel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Patel?
Name Census estimates that about 354,713 living Americans carry the surname Patel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 966 residents.
How common is Patel?
Patel ranks #63 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 103.49 per 100,000 residents, which is about 103 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 309,327 people with the surname Patel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (354,713), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 103.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 103.49 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 103 of them to have the surname Patel.
Has Patel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Patel went from 229,973 recorded bearers to 309,327. That is an increase of 79,354 (+34.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #95 to #63.
What does the Census say about the background of Patel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Patel, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Patel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (290,005 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Patel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.8%), White (3.0%), Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Patel (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 Patel mean?
A status name derived from the Indian term "patidar," denoting a landowner or village headman. 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 Patel (103.49 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 Patel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.