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

Kedar, 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 Kedar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kedar in America

Kedar is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kedar surname appeared 102 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 Kedar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kedar 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 Kedar

The surname KEDAR is believed to have originated in India, with roots tracing back to ancient Sanskrit. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word 'kedara,' which means 'field' or 'marshy land.' It is likely that the surname was initially adopted by individuals who resided in or were associated with such geographic areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KEDAR can be found in the Puranic literature, a vast collection of ancient Hindu texts. Specifically, the name is mentioned in the Skanda Purana, which dates back to the 7th century CE. This text references a sacred place called Kedarnath, located in the Himalayas, which is believed to be named after the deity Shiva, also known as Kedaranath.

In the medieval period, the KEDAR surname appears in various historical records and manuscripts from various regions of India. For example, the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, mentions individuals bearing the KEDAR surname in the context of land revenue records.

Notable individuals with the surname KEDAR include Pandit Vishnu Narayan Kedar (1899-1989), a renowned Indian classical musician and exponent of the Kirana gharana. Another prominent figure is Shridhar Venkatesh Kedar (1926-2014), a distinguished Indian mathematician and academic who made significant contributions to the field of algebraic topology.

In the realm of literature, the 20th-century Marathi writer and poet Govind Vinayak Kedar (1908-1987) is remembered for his works that explored themes of social justice and human rights. His literary legacy includes novels, short stories, and poetry collections that reflected the struggles and aspirations of the common people.

Another notable individual is Nana Kedar (1854-1926), a prominent social reformer and educationist from Maharashtra, India. He played a crucial role in promoting education, particularly for women, and worked tirelessly to uplift marginalized communities.

The surname KEDAR has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations across India. For instance, the town of Kedarpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh is believed to have derived its name from the KEDAR surname, potentially indicating a historical connection or settlement of individuals bearing this surname in the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kedar

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

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

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

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