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

Manu, 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 Manu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Manu in America

Manu is the 23222nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Manu surname appeared 1,098 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 Manu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Manu 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 Manu

The surname MANU is of Indian origin, deriving from the Sanskrit word 'Manu' which means 'human' or 'man'. The name is believed to have originated in the regions of northern India, particularly in areas such as Punjab and Haryana, where it was commonly used among various Hindu communities.

One of the earliest known references to the name MANU can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures, particularly the Manusmriti, which is a collection of laws and guidelines attributed to the legendary figure of Manu. This text, dating back to around the 2nd century BCE, suggests that the name MANU was associated with wisdom, leadership, and a sense of authority.

The surname MANU gained prominence during the medieval period in India, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such example is Manu Needhi, a renowned scholar and poet from the 14th century who hailed from the Vijayanagar Empire in southern India. His works, which include treatises on grammar and poetry, are still studied and revered today.

Another historical figure with the surname MANU was Manu Chandra, a influential ruler of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century CE. He was known for his military conquests and for patronizing the arts and literature during his reign.

In more recent times, the name MANU has been associated with several prominent figures in various fields. Manu Bhandari (1932-2005) was an acclaimed Hindi poet and writer, whose works explored themes of social justice and human rights. Manu Gandhi (1938-1986), the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was a prominent writer and advocate for non-violence and peace.

Manu Iyer (born 1977) is a well-known Indian actor and director, known for his work in both mainstream and independent cinema. Manu Sawhney (born 1946) is a distinguished Indian businessman and former CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

While the surname MANU is predominantly found in India, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Indian subcontinent, where it has held a significant place in history and culture for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Manu

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!