Explore the Family Name Charan
The meaning of Charan
Indian (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh): name with several possible origins: (i) from Sanskrit chara ‘movement’; (ii) from the dialect word uccharan, meaning ‘to speak’ in Sanskrit; or (iii) from the dialect word charanau meaning ‘to wander’ in Sanskrit. The community bearing this name were traditionally keepers of royal genealogical records, especially of the Rajput kings in the 13th and 14th centuries ad.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Charan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Charan has seen a significant increase in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it held the rank of 77,742 among all surnames in the United States. However, by 2010, it had jumped to rank 63,218, an improvement of nearly 19 percent. The count of people with this surname also grew from 229 in 2000 to 316 in 2010, marking a rise of approximately 38 percent. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people increased by 37.5 percent to reach 0.11.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #77,742 | #63,218 | 18.68% |
| Count | 229 | 316 | 37.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.11 | 37.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Charan
When considering the ethnic identity associated with the surname Charan, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. This group accounted for around 71 percent of individuals with this surname in 2010, showing a slight increase from 70.74 percent in 2000. Those identifying as two or more races made up the second largest group, though their percentage decreased from 15.28 percent in 2000 to 12.66 percent in 2010. Individuals with the Charan surname who identify as White saw a similar decrease in representation. On the other hand, those identifying as Black experienced a substantial increase, going from 4.37 percent in 2000 to 8.23 percent in 2010. No changes were noted for those identifying as Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 70.74% | 71.84% | 1.55% |
| Two or More Races | 15.28% | 12.66% | -17.15% |
| Black | 4.37% | 8.23% | 88.33% |
| White | 5.68% | 5.06% | -10.92% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |