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

Ekanayake, 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 Ekanayake surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ekanayake in America

Ekanayake is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ekanayake surname appeared 192 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 Ekanayake.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ekanayake 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 Ekanayake

The surname Ekanayake is of Sri Lankan origin and its roots can be traced back to the ancient Sinhala language. The name is believed to have derived from the words "Eka" meaning "one" and "Nayaka" meaning "leader" or "noble person". It is thought to have originated during the Anuradhapura Kingdom period, which lasted from the 4th century BC to the 11th century AD.

The earliest known references to the Ekanayake surname can be found in ancient Sinhala chronicles and inscriptions from the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods. These records often mentioned noble families and individuals who held important positions in the royal court or the Buddhist clergy.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Ekanayake surname was Ekanayaka Thero, a renowned Buddhist monk who lived during the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 AD). He was known for his extensive knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures and his contributions to the preservation of Buddhist literature.

Another notable figure was Ekanayake Mudiyanselage, a high-ranking military commander who served under King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1592-1620 AD). He played a crucial role in defending the kingdom against Portuguese invaders during the 16th century.

In the 18th century, the Ekanayake family produced several influential figures, including Ekanayake Nilame, who was the chief lay custodian of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka.

The Ekanayake surname was also associated with the Kandyan aristocracy, which ruled the central highlands of Sri Lanka until the British conquest in 1815. Ekanayake Disawe, who lived in the late 18th century, was a prominent provincial governor and a member of the Kandyan nobility.

Throughout history, the Ekanayake surname has been linked to several villages and place names in Sri Lanka, such as Ekanayakawatta, Ekanayakegama, and Ekanayakevatte, which further reinforces its ancient roots and connection to the island's heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ekanayake

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

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

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

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