Find out how popular the last name Arunachalam is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Arunachalam.

Arunachalam, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Arunachalam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arunachalam in America

Arunachalam is the 48160th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arunachalam surname appeared 439 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Arunachalam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arunachalam to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Arunachalam

The surname "ARUNACHALAM" is of Tamil origin, derived from the Indian subcontinent. The name can be traced back to the 8th century CE, when it was primarily found in the regions of modern-day Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

The name "ARUNACHALAM" is composed of two Tamil words: "Arunai" meaning "reddish-brown" or "sun-like" and "Achalam" meaning "hill" or "mountain." Therefore, the name likely originated as a reference to a reddish-brown hill or mountain, possibly a significant geographical feature in the region where the name first arose.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 9th century Tamil literary work, the "Silappadikaram," which mentions an individual named "Arunachalam." This suggests that the name was in use among the Tamil people during that time period.

In the 12th century, the renowned Tamil philosopher and spiritual leader, Arunachala Ramananuja (1017-1137), bore a variation of the name. He was a prominent figure in the Sri Vaishnava tradition and is credited with reviving and propagating the teachings of the Tamil saint-poet, Nammalvar.

Another notable individual with this surname was Arunachalam Mudaliar (1825-1899), a prominent Indian lawyer, judge, and social reformer. He played a significant role in the establishment of educational institutions and the promotion of women's rights in Tamil Nadu during the 19th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name "ARUNACHALAM" was also associated with the Arunachaleswara Temple in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. This ancient temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, and is considered a significant pilgrimage site for devotees.

Other historical figures bearing the surname "ARUNACHALAM" include Arunachalam Sivasubramania Iyer (1884-1975), a renowned Indian lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, and Arunachalam Srinivasan (1891-1968), a pioneering Indian cinematographer and filmmaker.

Throughout its history, the surname "ARUNACHALAM" has been associated with various places and geographical features in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, where it originated and has a strong cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arunachalam

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Arunachalam.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Arunachalam was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Arunachalam has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Arunachalam was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arunachalam, please contact us.

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