Explore the Family Name Mahajan
The meaning of Mahajan
Indian (northern states): Bania name, from Hindi məhājən ‘merchant, banker, moneylender’, from Sanskrit mahā ‘great’ + janas ‘person’. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Vijay, Anil, Sanjeev, Satish, Suresh, Ajay, Naresh, Rajendra, Rakesh, Rohit, Subhash, Umesh.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mahajan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Mahajan has significantly increased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the Mahajan surname was ranked 26,898 in popularity, but by 2010 it had climbed to position 16,130, representing a substantial rise of approximately 40%. The count of individuals with the Mahajan surname also more than doubled in this period, growing from 849 in 2000 to 1794 in 2010, marking an increase of over 111%. This growth reflects a higher proportion per 100,000 people, which nearly doubled from 0.31 in 2000 to 0.61 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #26,898 | #16,130 | 40.03% |
| Count | 849 | 1,794 | 111.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.61 | 96.77% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mahajan
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Mahajan. A significant majority of those with the Mahajan surname have an Asian or Pacific Islander background. This group made up 89.75% of the population with this surname in 2000, and that figure rose to 94.26% in 2010, showing a change of roughly 5%. However, the percentage of individuals identifying as belonging to two or more races sharply decreased by around 54%, going from 4.12% in 2000 to just 1.9% in 2010. Meanwhile, those with a White ethnic identity dropped by almost 38%, from 5.18% to 3.23% over the same time period. Interestingly, in 2010, a small proportion (0.28%) identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native, a group that wasn't represented in the 2000 data. No changes were reported in Hispanic and Black ethnic identities, remaining at 0% in both 2000 and 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 89.75% | 94.26% | 5.03% |
| White | 5.18% | 3.23% | -37.64% |
| Two or More Races | 4.12% | 1.9% | -53.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.28% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |