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

Dhondup, 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 Dhondup surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dhondup in America

Dhondup is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dhondup surname appeared 141 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 Dhondup.

The history of the last name Dhondup

The surname DHONDUP has its origins in the Tibetan region of the Himalayas. It is believed to have emerged as a family name during the 15th century, when the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism was established by Je Tsongkhapa.

The name DHONDUP is derived from the Tibetan words "don" meaning "meaning" or "essence" and "drup" meaning "to accomplish" or "to achieve". Together, the name can be interpreted as "one who has accomplished the true meaning" or "one who has realized the essence".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DHONDUP can be found in the writings of the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617-1682), who mentions a prominent figure named Dhondup in his autobiography.

In the 18th century, the name DHONDUP gained further prominence with the birth of Jetsun Pema Dhondup (1738-1780), a renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher. He was widely respected for his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and his contributions to the preservation of Tibetan culture.

Another notable figure with the surname DHONDUP was Thupten Dhondup (1904-1978), a Tibetan writer and translator who played a crucial role in bridging the gap between Tibetan and Western cultures. He worked closely with the 14th Dalai Lama and helped to translate many important Buddhist texts into English.

In the 20th century, the name DHONDUP gained international recognition with the birth of Tenzin Gyatso (1935-present), the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. His birth name was Lhamo Dhondup, and he is widely revered as one of the most influential spiritual leaders of our time.

Another notable DHONDUP was Ngawang Dhondup (1936-2011), a Tibetan Buddhist teacher and author who founded several Buddhist centers in the United States and Europe. He was known for his efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan culture and traditions.

While the surname DHONDUP has its roots in the Tibetan region, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly among Tibetan communities in exile. However, its historical significance and connection to Tibetan Buddhism remain deeply ingrained in its meaning and legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dhondup

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!