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

Devan, 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 Devan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Devan in America

Devan is the 24237th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Devan surname appeared 1,035 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 Devan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Devan 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 Devan

The surname Devan is believed to have originated in India during the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "deva," which means "god" or "celestial being." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who were considered divine or had some connection to religious or spiritual practices.

In ancient Indian texts and manuscripts, various spellings and variations of the name can be found, such as "Dewan" and "Deven." These variations likely emerged as the name spread across different regions and underwent linguistic changes over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Devan can be found in the Rajput clan records from the 12th century. The Rajputs were a warrior clan that ruled over parts of northern India, and it is possible that the name was associated with members of this community.

During the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century, the name Devan can be found in administrative records and documents. This suggests that individuals with this surname may have held positions of authority or served in the imperial bureaucracy.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Devan include:

1. Devan Raman (1923-2010), an Indian physicist and philosopher known for his contributions to the study of light and optics.
2. Devan Nair (1923-2005), a Singaporean politician and trade unionist who served as the third President of Singapore from 1981 to 1985.
3. Devan Thadani (1928-2011), an Indian writer and journalist who authored several books and worked for prominent publications such as The Times of India.
4. Devan Pillai (1890-1982), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.
5. Devan Ramdas (1648-1714), a renowned Hindu saint and spiritual teacher from Maharashtra, India, who is revered for his devotional poetry and teachings on humility and selfless service.

While the surname Devan has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Indian subcontinent, where it held spiritual and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Devan

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

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

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

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