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

Gunaratne, 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 Gunaratne surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gunaratne in America

Gunaratne is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gunaratne surname appeared 130 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 Gunaratne.

The history of the last name Gunaratne

The surname Gunaratne is of Sri Lankan origin, originating from the Sinhalese language spoken in the island nation. The name has its roots in the ancient Sinhalese words "guna" meaning virtue or quality, and "ratna" meaning gem or jewel.

Gunaratne is a common surname found among the Sinhalese people, particularly in the central and southern regions of Sri Lanka. Historically, it was often associated with noble families and those of high social standing or repute.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gunaratne can be found in the Kadayimpoth, a 15th-century literary work that chronicles the lives of Buddhist monks and scholars. The text mentions a renowned monk named Vimaladharma Gunaratne, who lived during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI (1412-1467).

In the 16th century, the Gunaratne family played a significant role in the resistance against Portuguese colonization of Sri Lanka. Mihin Gunaratne, a chieftain from the Matara region, led a rebellion against the Portuguese in 1588, earning him a place in the annals of Sri Lankan history.

Another notable figure was Don Juan Gunaratne, a 17th-century nobleman who served as a high-ranking official in the Kingdom of Kandy. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in the court until the British conquest of the kingdom in 1815.

In more recent times, several individuals with the surname Gunaratne have made their mark in various fields. Cyril Gunaratne (1899-1957) was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Trade and Commerce in the State Council of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) during the 1940s.

Gunadasa Amarasekara Gunaratne (1901-1992) was a renowned scholar and writer, best known for his work on Sinhala literature and Buddhist philosophy. He was awarded the prestigious Ranjana literary prize in 1972.

In the field of sports, Roshan Gunaratne (born 1977) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played for the national team in the early 2000s. He was part of the squad that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002.

While the surname Gunaratne is primarily associated with Sri Lanka, it has also been found among Sri Lankan diaspora communities around the world, particularly in regions with a significant Sri Lankan population, such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gunaratne

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

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

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

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