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

Kalu, 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 Kalu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kalu in America

Kalu is the 33941st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kalu surname appeared 670 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 Kalu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kalu 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 Kalu

The surname KALU originated in India, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "kalu," which means "black" or "dark-skinned." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to describe a person's physical appearance.

KALU is predominantly found in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan in western India. It is particularly prevalent among the Maratha and Rajput communities, who were historically influential warrior clans and rulers in this region.

One of the earliest known references to the name KALU can be found in the Marathi language literary work "Bharud Ramayan," written by the renowned poet Bhushan in the 16th century. The work mentions a character named Kalu Maharaj, who was a notable figure in the court of the Maratha king Shivaji.

In the 17th century, the name KALU appeared in various Persian and Marathi manuscripts, including court records and land grants. One notable bearer of the name was Kalu Parab, a military commander who served under the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680).

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the surname KALU gained prominence in various fields. Kalu Ram (1783-1856) was a renowned painter and calligrapher from Rajasthan, known for his intricate miniature paintings. Kalu Singh (1801-1876) was a distinguished soldier and ruler of the princely state of Alwar in Rajasthan.

In the 20th century, Kalu Bhai Desai (1914-1991) was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social activist from Gujarat, known for his work in promoting rural development and empowering marginalized communities.

Other notable individuals with the surname KALU include Kalu Sahai (1837-1902), a writer and scholar from Uttar Pradesh, and Kalu Lal Sehgal (1900-1972), a famous Indian revolutionary and leftist activist who fought against British colonial rule.

While the surname KALU is most commonly found in India, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to the western regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kalu

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

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

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

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