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

Karnik, 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 Karnik surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karnik in America

Karnik is the 35764th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karnik surname appeared 628 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 Karnik.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karnik 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 Karnik

The surname Karnik has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word 'karna,' which means ear or handle, and the suffix 'ik,' indicating a person or place.

Historically, the name Karnik was associated with the Karnik Brahmin community, a subgroup of the Brahmin caste from the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The Karnik Brahmins trace their lineage back to several centuries and were known for their expertise in the Vedas and other sacred Hindu scriptures.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Karnik surname can be found in the Bakhar, a historical record of the Maratha Empire, which dates back to the 17th century. In these chronicles, several individuals with the Karnik surname are mentioned as scholars, advisors, and administrators in the courts of the Maratha rulers.

The name Karnik has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such individual was Anant Sadashiv Karnik (1822-1891), a prominent social reformer and educator from Maharashtra. He was instrumental in establishing the Deccan Education Society and played a significant role in promoting education among women and the underprivileged.

Another prominent figure was Vasudeo Sadashiv Karnik (1878-1954), a renowned Marathi writer and playwright. His works, including the famous play 'Shastri,' explored social themes and contributed significantly to the Marathi literary tradition.

In the field of music, Pt. Vasantrao Karnik (1911-1992) was a celebrated Hindustani classical vocalist and a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, one of the highest honors in the performing arts in India.

The Karnik surname has also been associated with several notable scholars and academics. Dr. Vishnu Karnik (1901-1991) was a distinguished linguist and Sanskrit scholar who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mumbai.

Lastly, Karnik Shankarlal Dattatraya (1875-1948), a prominent lawyer and judge, held the position of the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and was known for his integrity and commitment to upholding the principles of justice.

While these are just a few examples, the Karnik surname has a rich history and has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karnik

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

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

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

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