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

Gurusamy, 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 Gurusamy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gurusamy in America

Gurusamy is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gurusamy surname appeared 120 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 Gurusamy.

The history of the last name Gurusamy

The surname Gurusamy has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the Tamil-speaking regions of southern India. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 9th or 10th century CE.

The name Gurusamy is a combination of two Tamil words, "Guru" meaning teacher or spiritual guide, and "Samy" which is an honorific title similar to "Swami." This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with individuals who held respected positions as teachers or spiritual leaders within their communities.

While no definitive historical records have been found mentioning the name Gurusamy itself, there are references to similar-sounding names in ancient Tamil literature and inscriptions. For instance, the name "Gurusambandar" appears in the works of Nayanmars, a group of Tamil Shaivite poets who lived between the 6th and 8th centuries CE.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gurusamy can be traced back to the 12th century CE, when a Tamil scholar and poet named Gurusamy Ayyar lived during the Chola dynasty. He is known for his contributions to the Tamil literary tradition and his works on grammar and philosophy.

Another notable figure with the surname Gurusamy was Sir Ponnambalam Gurusamy (1857-1929), a prominent Sri Lankan lawyer, politician, and advocate for Tamil rights. He played a significant role in the independence movement of Sri Lanka and served as the President of the Ceylon National Congress.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Gurusamy surname was also found among several notable academics and scholars in southern India. For example, V. Gurusamy (1884-1963) was a renowned Tamil scholar and author who wrote extensively on Tamil literature and culture.

Other notable individuals with the Gurusamy surname include M.K. Gurusamy (1915-1987), an Indian freedom fighter and politician from Tamil Nadu, and S.R. Gurusamy (1921-2007), a distinguished Indian diplomat who served as the Ambassador of India to various countries.

The surname Gurusamy has also been associated with several place names in Tamil Nadu, such as Gurusamy Nagar and Gurusamy Pettai, suggesting that the name may have been derived from or associated with specific locations in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gurusamy

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

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

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

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