2000
#5,172
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,212
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.30
Uncommon Last name
Prasad
A surname of Indian origin meaning "gift," "offering," or "grace," often referring to a religious offering or blessing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,830 Americans carry the last name Prasad. That puts it at #3,390 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.45 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,973 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Prasad 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 Prasad with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,973
Census rank
#3,390
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,316 bearers of the surname Prasad in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.45 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3390th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Prasad, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Prasad
The surname "PRASAD" has its origins in India, where it is believed to have first emerged during the medieval period. It is a Sanskrit word that translates to "a gift" or "a blessing," suggesting that the name may have initially been given to those who were considered fortunate or blessed.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname "PRASAD" can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, where it was often used as a title or an honorific for individuals who were revered for their spiritual wisdom or religious devotion. One notable example is the 15th-century Hindu philosopher and saint, Ramananda Prasad, who played a significant role in the Bhakti movement and influenced several prominent figures of his time.
As the name spread across various regions of India, it underwent minor variations in spelling and pronunciation, with some common variations including "Prasadh," "Prasaad," and "Prashad." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and linguistic traditions.
Throughout history, there have been several prominent individuals who bore the surname "PRASAD." One such figure was Rajendra Prasad, who served as the first President of independent India from 1950 to 1962. Born in 1884, he was a prominent lawyer, scholar, and political leader who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement.
Another notable figure was Biresh Prasad Gupta, an Indian mathematician and statistician who made significant contributions to the field of probability theory. Born in 1917, he is widely recognized for his work on the theory of ordered random variables and stochastic processes.
In the realm of literature, Amarnath Prasad was a renowned Hindi writer and poet who lived from 1916 to 2005. He was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978 for his novel "Aaj Ke Atmakath."
Govind Prasad Sarma, born in 1880, was a prominent Indian historian and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Indian history and culture. His works, such as "Hindu Culture and the Modern Age," provided valuable insights into the rich heritage of India.
Additionally, Balmukund Prasad was an influential Indian journalist and writer who lived from 1891 to 1976. He served as the editor of several prominent newspapers and played a crucial role in shaping public opinion during India's struggle for independence.
While the surname "PRASAD" is predominantly found in India, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and references mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich heritage and significance of this name within the Indian subcontinent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Prasad
Among Census respondents with the surname Prasad, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Prasad 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 Prasad surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander88.1% · 9,092
- Two or more races4.1% · 420
- White4.0% · 412
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 189
- Black or African American1.4% · 146
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 57
Timeline
Historical Census data for Prasad
Prasad 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
#4,107
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,638
+2,426 bearers (+39.1%)
Per 100,000 2.93
Rank movement Up 1,065 places
2020
#3,390
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,316
+1,678 bearers (+19.4%)
Per 100,000 3.45
Rank movement Up 717 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,172 | 6,212 | 2.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,107 | 8,638 | 2.93 | +2,426 bearers (+39.1%) | Up 1,065 places |
| 2020 | #3,390 | 10,316 | 3.45 | +1,678 bearers (+19.4%) | Up 717 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 Prasad 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 | #4,107 | #3,390 | 17.5% |
| Count | 8,638 | 10,316 | 19.4% |
| Per 100K | 2.93 | 3.45 | 17.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Prasad bearers went from 8,638 to 10,316 (+19.4% change). The surname moved up 717 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,107 to #3,390.
FAQ
Prasad surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Prasad?
Name Census estimates that about 11,830 living Americans carry the surname Prasad. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,973 residents.
How common is Prasad?
Prasad ranks #3,390 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.45 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,316 people with the surname Prasad. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,830), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.45 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.45 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Prasad.
Has Prasad become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Prasad went from 8,638 recorded bearers to 10,316. That is an increase of 1,678 (+19.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,107 to #3,390.
What does the Census say about the background of Prasad?
Among Census respondents with the surname Prasad, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (4.0%). 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 Prasad in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (9,092 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Prasad appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (88.1%), Two or More Races (4.1%), White (4.0%). 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 Prasad (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 Prasad mean?
A surname of Indian origin meaning "gift," "offering," or "grace," often referring to a religious offering or blessing. 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 Prasad (3.45 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 Prasad?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Prasad on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.