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

Ganesan, 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 Ganesan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ganesan in America

Ganesan is the 22944th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ganesan surname appeared 1,115 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 Ganesan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ganesan 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 Ganesan

The surname Ganesan is of Indian origin, specifically from the Tamil language and culture. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of India, particularly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, several centuries ago.

The name Ganesan is derived from the Hindu deity Ganesha, who is revered as the remover of obstacles and the lord of beginnings. Ganesha is one of the most widely worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon, and the name Ganesan is a patronymic form, indicating a devotee or follower of Ganesha.

Historical records show that the name Ganesan appeared in ancient Tamil literature, such as the Sangam era poetry and inscriptions from the Pallava and Chola dynasties, which ruled parts of southern India between the 3rd and 13th centuries CE. These inscriptions often mentioned individuals with the name Ganesan, indicating their social status, professions, or religious affiliations.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ganesan can be found in the Vaishnava literature of the 7th century CE, where a poet and scholar named Ganesan Bhatta is mentioned. He is believed to have been a contemporary of the famous Tamil poet and philosopher, Thiruvalluvar.

In the 12th century, a renowned Tamil scholar and grammarian named Ganesan Araiyar authored the influential work "Kalittogai," which is a commentary on the grammar text "Nannul." His contributions to Tamil literature and linguistics are widely recognized and celebrated.

Another notable figure in Indian history with the surname Ganesan was Rao Bahadur P.K. Ganesan (1891-1964), a prominent Indian industrialist and philanthropist from Tamil Nadu. He was the founder of the Ganesan Group of Companies and played a significant role in the industrial development of southern India.

In the field of arts and culture, M.R. Ganesan (1932-2007) was a renowned Indian actor who was fondly known as "Gemini Ganesan." He had an illustrious career spanning over six decades and starred in numerous Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi films, earning him several accolades and a revered status in Indian cinema.

The surname Ganesan continues to be prevalent among Tamil communities across India and the diaspora, carrying the cultural and religious significance associated with the venerated Hindu deity, Ganesha.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ganesan

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

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

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

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