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

Dutta, 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 Dutta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dutta in America

Dutta is the 15140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dutta surname appeared 1,948 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dutta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dutta 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 Dutta

The surname Dutta has its origins in India, tracing back to the ancient Sanskrit language. It is believed to have been derived from the word "dutta," meaning "messenger" or "envoy." This name was likely adopted by individuals who served as messengers or envoys in the past.

The earliest records of the Dutta surname can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts dating back to the 5th century BCE. It was mentioned in the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, which recounts the story of a great war and the events leading up to it.

During the medieval period, the Dutta surname was particularly prevalent in the eastern regions of India, including the states of Bengal, Assam, and Odisha. Historical records from the 12th century mention Duttas serving as ministers and advisors to various kings and rulers in these regions.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Dutta surname was Shri Ananta Dutta, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of Bengal and is remembered for his contributions to Sanskrit literature.

Another notable figure was Pandit Iswar Chandra Dutta, a distinguished writer, educator, and social reformer from Bengal in the 19th century (1829-1900). He played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance and advocated for the education of women and the abolition of social evils.

In the 20th century, the Dutta surname gained further recognition with individuals like Bhanu Dutta (1888-1948), a renowned writer and journalist from Assam who contributed immensely to the development of Assamese literature and language.

Nalinaksha Dutta (1919-2011), a prominent Indian freedom fighter and politician, also carried the Dutta surname. He played an active role in the Indian independence movement and served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

Lastly, Soumitra Dutta (1944-2022) was a renowned Indian economist and professor who served as the founder and president of the Portulans Institute, a non-profit research institute focused on innovation and competitiveness.

The Dutta surname has a rich history and has been associated with various notable figures throughout the centuries, particularly in the fields of literature, education, social reform, and politics in India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dutta

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

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

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

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