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

Desa, 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 Desa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desa in America

Desa is the 30101st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desa surname appeared 779 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 Desa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desa 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 Desa

The surname DESA has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the regions of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "desha," which means "land" or "country." The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DESA can be found in the "Lekhapaddhati," a 13th-century Sanskrit text on the art of letter-writing. The text mentions a person named "Desaka," which is a variant form of the name DESA.

In the 16th century, the name DESA appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including the "Ain-i-Akbari," a detailed document written during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions several individuals with the surname DESA, who held important positions in the imperial administration.

The name DESA is also associated with various place names in India, such as Desa Village in the state of Maharashtra and Desa Taluka in the state of Gujarat. These place names may have influenced the surname or vice versa.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname DESA was Sadashiv Rambhau Desa (1684-1756), a Marathi poet and scholar who contributed significantly to the development of the Marathi language and literature.

Another notable figure was Gopal Hari Deshmukh Desa (1823-1892), a prominent social reformer and educationist from Maharashtra. He played a crucial role in establishing several schools and educational institutions in the region.

In the field of literature, Vishram Bedekar Desa (1885-1961) was a renowned Marathi writer and playwright who authored several acclaimed works, including the play "Brahmacharya."

Additionally, Govind Sakharam Desa (1905-1982) was a renowned artist and sculptor from Maharashtra, known for his contributions to the field of modern Indian art.

Lastly, Gajanan Tryambak Desa (1920-2001) was a prominent Indian politician and social activist who served as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for several terms.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who carried the surname DESA throughout history, showcasing the rich cultural and historical significance of this Indian surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desa

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

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

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

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