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

Goenka, 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 Goenka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goenka in America

Goenka is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goenka surname appeared 104 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 Goenka.

The history of the last name Goenka

The surname "GOENKA" has its origins in India, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It can be traced back to the 16th century and is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "guna," meaning "quality" or "virtue."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GOENKA" dates back to the 17th century. It is found in a historical document from the Mughal Empire, where a wealthy merchant named Shyamaldas GOENKA is mentioned as a prominent trader in the region of Bengal.

In the 18th century, the GOENKA name gained prominence in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), which was the capital of British India at the time. Several families bearing this surname were involved in the textile trade and quickly established themselves as successful businessmen.

A notable figure from this era was Badridas GOENKA (1720-1789), a renowned trader who was instrumental in establishing trade routes between India and Europe. His descendants went on to become influential industrialists and philanthropists in the region.

During the 19th century, the GOENKA name spread to other parts of India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. One prominent individual from this period was Rameshwarlal GOENKA (1823-1891), a wealthy landlord and philanthropist known for his contributions to the education sector.

In the early 20th century, the GOENKA family diversified into various industries, including jute, textiles, and tea plantations. Haridas GOENKA (1878-1947) was a pioneering industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the jute industry in Bengal.

Another notable figure was Keshavlal GOENKA (1901-1976), a renowned educationist and philanthropist who established several educational institutions in Kolkata, including the renowned Keshavlal GOENKA World Institute.

Over the centuries, the GOENKA surname has been associated with successful businessmen, industrialists, and philanthropists who have made significant contributions to the economic and social development of India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goenka

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

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

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

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