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

Das, 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 Das surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Das in America

Das is the 4837th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Das surname appeared 7,289 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Das.

We can also compare 2010 data for Das 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 Das

The surname DAS is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the Bengal region, during the 12th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "dasa," which means "servant" or "slave." In ancient times, it was common for people to be identified by their occupations or social status, and the surname DAS was likely given to individuals who were servants or worked in service-related roles.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DAS can be traced back to medieval Bengali manuscripts and records from the Pala and Sena dynasties, which ruled over parts of present-day Bangladesh and West Bengal between the 8th and 12th centuries. These ancient texts often referred to individuals with the surname DAS, indicating its widespread use among certain communities during that period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname DAS was a Bengali poet and philosopher named Bipradas Pipilai, who lived in the 15th century. He is renowned for his literary works, including the famous epic poem "Manasavijaya." Another notable figure was Raja Rammohan Roy (1772-1833), a Bengali Renaissance man who played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance and was a pioneering figure in the movement against social injustice and superstition.

In the 16th century, the surname DAS was also found in parts of present-day Odisha and Assam, where it was used by different communities and castes. During this period, the name appeared in various local records and genealogical documents, indicating its widespread adoption across the region.

As people migrated and settled in different parts of the Indian subcontinent, the surname DAS spread to other areas, including present-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. Notable individuals with this surname include the renowned Bengali writer and social reformer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838-1894), who is considered a key figure in the Bengali Renaissance and is credited with writing the national song of India, "Vande Mataram."

Another prominent figure with the surname DAS was the Indian mathematician and astronomer Radhanath Siddhanta Sarasvati (1594-1668), who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and wrote several treatises on mathematics and astronomy.

Throughout its history, the surname DAS has been associated with various professions, including literature, philosophy, social reform, mathematics, and astronomy, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of individuals carrying this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Das

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

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

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

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