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

Desikan, 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 Desikan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desikan in America

Desikan is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desikan surname appeared 106 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 Desikan.

The history of the last name Desikan

The surname Desikan originates from South India, specifically the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a Tamil name that can be traced back to the 7th century CE. The name is derived from the Tamil word "Desikar," which means "teacher" or "preceptor." It was likely given to individuals who were respected scholars or spiritual leaders in their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Desikan can be found in the works of the revered Tamil philosopher and poet, Thiruvalluvar, who lived between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. His seminal work, the Thirukkural, mentions the term "Desikar" in reference to wise teachers and learned individuals.

During the Chola dynasty, which ruled over large parts of South India from the 9th to the 13th centuries, the name Desikan gained prominence. Several scholarly and literary figures from this period bore this surname, including Vedanta Desikan (1268-1369), a prominent Vaishnavite philosopher and the founder of the Sri Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism.

Another notable figure with the surname Desikan was Appayya Dikshitar (1520-1593), a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and poet who authored several works on Hindu philosophy and theology. His contributions to the study of the Vedas and the Upanishads were significant.

In the 18th century, Srinivasa Desikan (1684-1783) was a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Tamil Nadu. He made important contributions to the field of calculus and is credited with developing the concept of infinitesimals before Newton and Leibniz.

Thayumanavar (1706-1743), also known as Thayumanavar Desikan, was a Tamil mystic and poet whose works on Shaiva philosophy and spirituality have had a lasting impact on Tamil literature and culture.

Throughout history, the surname Desikan has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including philosophy, literature, mathematics, and spirituality. The name carries a legacy of scholarship and intellectual pursuit, reflecting the Tamil cultural values of education and enlightenment.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desikan

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

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 Desikan 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.

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

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

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