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

Krishnamoorthy, 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 Krishnamoorthy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Krishnamoorthy in America

Krishnamoorthy is the 30916th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Krishnamoorthy surname appeared 752 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 Krishnamoorthy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Krishnamoorthy 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 Krishnamoorthy

The surname Krishnamoorthy has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. It is a combination of two Sanskrit words, "Krishna" and "moorthy," which together mean "an incarnation or manifestation of Lord Krishna." The name is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century, when devotion to Lord Krishna and the Vaishnavite tradition were particularly prominent in this region.

The earliest known references to the name Krishnamoorthy can be found in various temple inscriptions and ancient manuscripts from Tamil Nadu, where it was commonly used as a title or honorific for devotees and scholars associated with the Krishna cult. One notable example is the 12th-century inscription at the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram, which mentions a person named "Krishnamoorthy Bhattar," a scholar and devotee of Lord Krishna.

As the name gained popularity, it began to be adopted as a surname by families and communities associated with the Krishna tradition. Over time, it spread to other parts of South India, particularly in regions with a strong Vaishnavite influence, such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Krishnamoorthy was Krishnamoorthy Sastri, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his profound knowledge of the Vedas and his contributions to the study of Sanskrit literature. Another notable figure was Krishnamoorthy Ayyangar, a 17th-century poet and playwright who composed several works in Tamil, including the famous "Harivamsam" and "Nalacharitram."

In the 18th century, the name Krishnamoorthy gained further prominence with the birth of Krishnamoorthy Iyer, a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Tamil Nadu. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and authored several treatises on mathematics and celestial calculations.

The 19th century saw the rise of Krishnamoorthy Naicker, a prominent social reformer and advocate for the rights of the underprivileged classes in Tamil Nadu. He played a pivotal role in the anti-caste movement and worked towards the upliftment of the oppressed communities in the region.

Throughout its history, the surname Krishnamoorthy has been associated with various place names and older spellings, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the regions where it was prevalent. Some examples include Krishnamurthi, Krishnamurthy, and Krishnamurty, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Krishnamoorthy

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

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

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

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