Explore the Family Name Sherpa
The meaning of Sherpa
Nepali and Bhutanese: ethnic name from the name of the Sherpa people, who are Buddhists living in eastern Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim. They are noted as mountaineers and mountain guides.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sherpa in the United States?
The popularity of the surname "Sherpa" has significantly increased in the United States based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname ranked 37,728 but by 2010, it had jumped to 13,949, marking a change of 63.03%. The count of people with this surname also surged from 554 in 2000 to 2,164 in 2010, a growth rate of 290.61%. This indicates that for every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 0.73 had the Sherpa surname in 2010, up from 0.21 in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #37,728 | #13,949 | 63.03% |
| Count | 554 | 2,164 | 290.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.73 | 247.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sherpa
Analyzing the ethnic identity of those with the surname "Sherpa", the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a significant increase in individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islanders between 2000 and 2010, jumping from 75.63% to 92.42%. However, there was a marked decrease in those identifying as having two or more races, which fell from 15.7% to 3.28%, and those identifying as white, which decreased from 7.4% to 3.51%. A new entry in 2010 was those identifying as Hispanic, accounting for 0.37% of individuals with the Sherpa surname. There were no individuals who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either 2000 or 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 75.63% | 92.42% | 22.2% |
| White | 7.4% | 3.51% | -52.57% |
| Two or More Races | 15.7% | 3.28% | -79.11% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0.37% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |