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

Banerjee, 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 Banerjee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Banerjee in America

Banerjee is the 11543rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Banerjee surname appeared 2,723 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Banerjee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Banerjee 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 Banerjee

The surname Banerjee has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the Bengal region of present-day Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "Vanik" meaning merchant or trader, and "Jati" meaning community or caste.

Banerjee is a common surname among the Bengali Hindu community, particularly among the Baidya caste, which was traditionally involved in trading and commerce. The name first appeared in historical records during the medieval period, around the 12th century CE, when the Baidya community rose to prominence in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Banerjee can be found in the Devi Bhagavata Purana, an ancient Hindu scripture. The text mentions a sage named Banerjee who was revered for his wisdom and knowledge.

In the 16th century, during the Mughal era, a prominent figure named Rajnarayan Banerjee served as the chief minister to the Sultan of Bengal, Alauddin Husain Shah. Rajnarayan Banerjee was instrumental in establishing the Baidya community's influence in the region's administrative and economic affairs.

Another notable person with the surname Banerjee was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891), a renowned Bengali scholar, writer, and social reformer. He played a crucial role in promoting education and advocating for the rights of women in 19th-century Bengal.

In the field of literature, Jyotirindranath Banerjee (1863-1930) was a distinguished Bengali poet and playwright. His works, which included plays like "Muktir Upay" and "Neelanjana," explored themes of social reform and women's empowerment.

Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945), a prominent figure in India's struggle for independence, also bore the surname Banerjee. He was the leader of the Indian National Army and played a pivotal role in the freedom movement against British colonial rule.

Satyajit Ray (1921-1992), the renowned Bengali filmmaker, was born Satyajit Banerjee. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest auteurs in the history of world cinema, acclaimed for his films like "Pather Panchali," "Charulata," and "Apur Sansar."

The surname Banerjee has a rich history and has been associated with influential individuals across various fields, from politics and literature to social reform and the arts, particularly in the Bengal region and the broader Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Banerjee

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

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

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

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