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

Makara, 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 Makara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Makara in America

Makara is the 35057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Makara surname appeared 643 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 Makara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Makara 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 Makara

The surname Makara has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the regions of modern-day India and Pakistan. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word 'makara,' which refers to a mythical sea creature resembling a crocodile or a dolphin. This creature holds significant cultural and symbolic importance in Hindu mythology and art.

The earliest known references to the name Makara can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions from the 4th century BCE. These records often mention the name in connection with religious ceremonies, festivals, and architectural decorations featuring the makara motif.

In the medieval period, the Makara surname gained prominence among various communities and social strata across the Indian subcontinent. Several historical manuscripts and records from the 10th to 15th centuries mention individuals bearing this surname, such as the 12th-century Sanskrit scholar Makara Bhatta, renowned for his contributions to grammar and linguistics.

The name Makara has also been associated with certain geographical locations in India. For instance, the town of Makara in the Kheda district of Gujarat is believed to have been named after a prominent family or clan bearing this surname in the region.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Makara throughout history, one can mention Makara Jyotishi (1599-1673), a renowned astrologer and astronomer from the Mughal Empire era, whose works influenced the development of Indian astronomy. Another prominent figure was Makara Deva (1540-1610), a Sanskrit scholar and poet from the Vijayanagar Empire, known for his literary works and contributions to the study of Indian philosophy.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Makara surname continued to be found among various communities across the Indian subcontinent. One notable figure from this period was Makara Pandit (1785-1858), a Hindu scholar and reformer who advocated for social and educational reforms in the southern regions of India.

It is worth mentioning that the surname Makara has also been found in other parts of the world, possibly due to migration or cultural exchanges. However, the name's origins and historical significance are deeply rooted in the Indian subcontinent, where it has held cultural and religious connotations for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Makara

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

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

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

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