Mishra
A common South Asian surname, especially in India, often linked to learned Brahmin or scribal traditions.
The #7,601 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 70,619 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mishra is a surname found widely across northern and eastern South Asia. It is generally connected with Sanskrit and later Indo-Aryan usage, and is often explained as a title or family name associated with Brahmin, priestly, or scholarly communities. The name is sometimes said to relate to a sense of being “mixed” or “combined,” though in surname use it functions mainly as a hereditary family name rather than a transparent everyday word.
History
In India, Mishra has long been especially common among Brahmin families in regions such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, and nearby areas, and it also appears in Nepal. In modern times it has spread widely through migration across India and the global diaspora, including the United States. As with many South Asian surnames, its social and regional associations can vary by community and locality.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The spelling Misra is a long-established variant, especially in older transliterations and in some regional traditions.