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

Dhandapani, 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 Dhandapani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dhandapani in America

Dhandapani is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dhandapani surname appeared 177 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 Dhandapani.

The history of the last name Dhandapani

The surname Dhandapani has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a Tamil name, and the earliest records of its usage can be traced back to the 16th century CE. The name is derived from the Tamil words "dhandam," which means "staff" or "scepter," and "pani," which means "work" or "labor." Together, the name Dhandapani can be interpreted to mean "one who works with a staff" or "one who carries a staff."

In ancient Tamil literature and manuscripts, the name Dhandapani is mentioned in connection with certain professions and occupations. It is believed that the name was commonly used among individuals who worked as guards, watchmen, or in positions that required carrying a staff or baton as a symbol of authority. The staff was a traditional weapon and tool used for self-defense, crowd control, and maintaining order.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dhandapani can be found in the Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji's manuscripts, which date back to the 18th century. These manuscripts were a collection of records and documents maintained by the Nayak rulers of Thanjavur, a prominent kingdom in the region during that time period.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Dhandapani throughout history are:

1. Dhandapani Desikar (1510-1609), a renowned Tamil scholar, philosopher, and poet who lived during the Vijayanagar Empire.
2. Dhandapani Pillai (1760-1830), a Tamil scholar and grammarian who made significant contributions to the study of Tamil literature and language.
3. Dhandapani Mudaliar (1825-1901), an influential Tamil scholar and educator who established several educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.
4. Dhandapani Srinivasachariar (1880-1955), a distinguished Tamil scholar and epigraphist who deciphered and published numerous ancient Tamil inscriptions and manuscripts.
5. Dhandapani Ramaswamy (1920-1995), a renowned Tamil writer and journalist who authored several novels and short stories, many of which explored social issues and the lives of ordinary people.

The surname Dhandapani has also been associated with certain place names in Tamil Nadu, such as Dhandapani Kovil, a village known for its ancient temples, and Dhandapani Nagar, a residential area in Chennai. These place names likely derived from the presence of individuals or families bearing the Dhandapani surname in those locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dhandapani

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

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

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

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