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

Balachandran, 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 Balachandran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balachandran in America

Balachandran is the 53072nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balachandran surname appeared 390 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 Balachandran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balachandran 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 Balachandran

The surname Balachandran originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the Tamil-speaking regions of southern India. It is a compound name derived from the Tamil words "bala," meaning strength or power, and "chandran," which refers to the moon or a lunar deity.

The earliest known records of the name Balachandran can be traced back to ancient Tamil literature and inscriptions from the 8th century CE. During this period, the name was often associated with poets, scholars, and individuals of high social standing within the Tamil communities.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Balachandran can be found in the Silappadikaram, a Tamil epic composed by the poet Ilango Adigal around the 5th or 6th century CE. The work mentions a character named Balachandran, who was a renowned scholar and advisor to the king.

Another notable individual bearing the name Balachandran was Balachandran Chettiar, a prominent Tamil merchant and philanthropist who lived in the 19th century. He was known for his philanthropic activities and contributions to the development of education and healthcare facilities in the region.

During the medieval period, the name Balachandran was also found in various inscriptions and records from the Chola, Pandya, and Vijayanagar empires, which ruled over parts of southern India. These records often listed individuals with the name as ministers, administrators, or members of the royal courts.

In more recent history, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Balachandran was K. Balachandran, a renowned Indian classical musician and violinist who lived from 1928 to 2018. He was a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian awards.

Another notable figure was G. Balachandran, an Indian actor and comedian who appeared in numerous Tamil films during the latter half of the 20th century. He was known for his comedic timing and versatility in portraying various character roles.

It is worth noting that while the surname Balachandran is predominantly found among Tamil communities in southern India, it has also spread to other regions due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the name's origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of Tamil Nadu and its surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balachandran

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

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 Balachandran 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 Balachandran 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 Balachandran was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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