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

Karunaratne, 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 Karunaratne surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karunaratne in America

Karunaratne is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karunaratne surname appeared 215 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 Karunaratne.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karunaratne 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 Karunaratne

The surname Karunaratne originates from Sri Lanka. It is a Sinhalese name that traces its roots back to the medieval period, around the 13th to 15th centuries. The name Karunaratne is derived from two Sinhalese words, "Karuna" meaning compassion or kindness, and "Ratne" meaning gem or jewel. Thus, the name can be interpreted as "The Gem of Compassion" or "The Jewel of Kindness."

Historically, surnames in Sri Lanka were often given based on personal qualities, professions, or places of origin. The Karunaratne name likely emerged as a descriptive surname, reflecting the virtuous traits of compassion and kindness. It is possible that the name was initially bestowed upon an individual who exhibited these qualities in a remarkable way, and it then became hereditary within their family lineage.

One of the earliest known mentions of the Karunaratne name can be found in the Culavamsa, a historical chronicle that documents the royal dynasties of Sri Lanka from the 4th to the 18th century. The Culavamsa references a nobleman named Karunaratne who served as a minister during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI in the 15th century.

Another notable figure with the Karunaratne surname was Domingos Karunaratne, a Sinhalese philosopher and scholar who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his contributions to the field of Sinhalese literature and for his translations of Buddhist texts from Pali to Sinhalese.

In the 19th century, Sir John Maitland Karunaratne (1832-1911) was a prominent Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) lawyer and judge. He served as the Attorney General of Ceylon and later became a member of the Legislative Council.

Gajaman Nona Karunaratne (1850-1924) was a renowned Sinhalese novelist and poet during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works, such as "Kusalakaliya" and "Kuweni Asna," played a significant role in the revival of Sinhalese literature.

More recently, Dr. Udugama Sirisena Karunaratne (1912-1988) was a distinguished Sri Lankan botanist and academic. He made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and served as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Throughout its history, the Karunaratne surname has been associated with individuals who have made noteworthy contributions in various fields, reflecting the virtues of compassion and kindness that are embodied in the name's meaning.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karunaratne

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

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

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

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