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

Mahadevan, 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 Mahadevan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mahadevan in America

Mahadevan is the 42308th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mahadevan surname appeared 513 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 Mahadevan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mahadevan 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 Mahadevan

The surname Mahadevan originated in India, specifically in the southern regions of the country. It has its roots in the Sanskrit language and can be traced back to the ancient Vedic period, which dates back to around 1500-500 BCE. The name is derived from the combination of two Sanskrit words, "Maha" meaning "great" and "Deva" meaning "god" or "deity."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mahadevan can be found in the ancient Tamil literature known as Sangam literature, which dates back to the early centuries CE. This literary work contains references to individuals bearing the name Mahadevan, suggesting its widespread use during that time period.

The name Mahadevan is also closely associated with the Saivite tradition, a branch of Hinduism that reveres Lord Shiva as the supreme deity. Many ancient Hindu temples and religious texts mention devotees and scholars with the surname Mahadevan, indicating their association with the Saivite faith.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Mahadevan is the 9th-century Tamil poet and philosopher Manikkavasagar (c. 850 CE), who was a prominent figure in the Saivite tradition. His works, such as the Tiruvacagam, are considered literary and spiritual masterpieces.

Another prominent Mahadevan was Sundara Mahadevan (c. 1200 CE), a Tamil scholar and commentator on the works of the philosopher Meykanda Devar. His commentaries are still studied and revered in Tamil Nadu today.

In the 16th century, Appayya Mahadevan (c. 1520-1593) was a renowned scholar and theologian who made significant contributions to the Saivite literature and philosophy. His works, such as the Sivaprakasam, are considered essential readings in the Saivite tradition.

The 18th century saw the rise of Sadasiva Mahadevan (c. 1750-1825), a Tamil poet and mystic who is celebrated for his devotional compositions and his contribution to the revival of the Saivite tradition.

More recently, Krishnamurthy Mahadevan (1905-1993) was a distinguished Indian classical musician and scholar who was instrumental in preserving and promoting the ancient musical traditions of South India.

While the surname Mahadevan has its roots in the southern regions of India, it has since spread across the country and can be found among various communities, particularly those with a strong connection to the Saivite tradition and Tamil culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mahadevan

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

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

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

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