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

Daras, 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 Daras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Daras in America

Daras is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Daras surname appeared 173 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 Daras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Daras 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 Daras

The surname Daras is thought to have originated in the Indian subcontinent during the medieval period, with its earliest recorded instances found in regions like present-day Pakistan and northern India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "dara," which means "wife" or "woman," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive term used to identify individuals with a strong connection to their spouses or families.

While the exact origins of the name remain uncertain, some historical records suggest that Daras may have been associated with certain Hindu or Muslim communities in the region during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. It is possible that the name gained prominence as a result of its association with notable figures or families during this time.

One of the earliest known references to the Daras surname can be found in the Akbarnama, a biographical account of the life and reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542-1605). The text mentions a certain Daras Khan, a courtier and military commander who served under Akbar's father, Humayun. Unfortunately, specific details about this individual's life and significance are scarce.

Another historical figure bearing the Daras surname was Raja Daras, a Hindu ruler who governed the princely state of Kangra (now part of Himachal Pradesh, India) in the 17th century. Records from the era indicate that Raja Daras played a significant role in the region's political and cultural affairs, although the details of his reign have been largely lost to time.

In the 18th century, a notable figure known as Mir Daras emerged as a prominent scholar and poet in the court of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. His works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, were highly regarded during his lifetime and continue to be studied by scholars of Urdu literature.

Moving into the modern era, one of the most well-known individuals with the Daras surname was Syed Ghulam Daras, a prominent Pakistani politician and diplomat who served as the country's Foreign Minister from 1977 to 1979. Born in 1905, Daras played a crucial role in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy during a turbulent period in the nation's history.

Other notable individuals with the Daras surname include Anil Daras, an Indian cricketer who represented Maharashtra in domestic cricket during the 1990s, and Nisha Daras, a contemporary Indian actress and model known for her work in Bollywood films and television shows.

While the Daras surname may not be as widespread as some other names, its history and origins are deeply rooted in the cultural and social fabric of the Indian subcontinent, with traces of its significance spanning across centuries and various domains of human endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Daras

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

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

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

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