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

Iyer, 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 Iyer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iyer in America

Iyer is the 8369th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iyer surname appeared 3,956 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Iyer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iyer 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 Iyer

The surname Iyer originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is believed to have emerged around the 7th century AD, during the reign of the Pallava and Chola dynasties. The name Iyer is derived from the Sanskrit word "Acharya," which translates to "teacher" or "preceptor."

The Iyers were traditionally a community of Brahmin scholars, priests, and teachers who played a significant role in preserving and disseminating Hindu scriptural knowledge. They served as advisors to royal courts and were revered for their expertise in various fields, including religion, philosophy, literature, and astrology.

One of the earliest mentions of the Iyer name can be found in ancient Tamil literary works, such as the Sangam literature, which dates back to the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD. These works often referred to learned scholars and intellectuals as "Acharyas" or "Iyers."

In the 9th century, the renowned Tamil scholar and philosopher, Adi Sankara, who was instrumental in reviving and propagating Advaita Vedanta philosophy, is believed to have had the title "Iyer" associated with his name. Another notable figure from the 11th century was the influential Hindu philosopher and social reformer, Ramanuja, who is sometimes referred to as Iyer Ramanuja.

During the medieval period, the Iyers played a pivotal role in the preservation and transmission of Tamil literature and culture. One of the most renowned Iyers from this era was Govinda Dikshita (1480-1540), a prolific writer and scholar who authored numerous works on grammar, philosophy, and astronomy.

In the 16th century, Appayya Dikshita (1554-1624), a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and philosopher, made significant contributions to various fields, including Vedanta, Nyaya, and Vyakarana. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential Iyers in Indian history.

Another prominent figure from the 18th century was Sringeri Vidyaranya Swami (1773-1847), a renowned scholar and spiritual leader who served as the head of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, one of the most influential Advaita Vedanta monastic institutions in India.

Throughout history, the Iyers have maintained a strong tradition of education, scholarship, and spiritual leadership, shaping the cultural and intellectual landscape of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iyer

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

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

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

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