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

Meyyappan, 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 Meyyappan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meyyappan in America

Meyyappan is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meyyappan surname appeared 113 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 Meyyappan.

The history of the last name Meyyappan

The surname Meyyappan is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu and parts of present-day Kerala and Karnataka. The name is derived from the Tamil language and is a combination of two words, "Mey" meaning "truth" or "reality," and "Appan" meaning "father" or "lord."

This surname finds its roots in the ancient Tamil culture and traditions, where names were often bestowed based on personal attributes, occupations, or deities revered by the family. Meyyappan likely originated as a title or honorific given to individuals who were considered truthful, righteous, or had a strong moral compass.

Historical records and inscriptions dating back to the 7th or 8th century CE mention individuals with variations of this name, such as Meyyappa Naicker and Meyyappa Mudaliar, indicating its long-standing presence in the region.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Meyyappan was Arulnandi Sivacharya Meyyappan, a renowned Tamil scholar and philosopher who lived in the 12th century CE. He was a revered figure in the Saiva tradition and wrote numerous works on Tamil literature, grammar, and philosophy.

In the 16th century, the Meyyappan family held significant influence in the Kingdom of Madurai, with several members serving as high-ranking officials and advisors to the Madurai Nayak rulers.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Meyyappan appears in various records and manuscripts related to temple administration, land grants, and literary works in the Tamil region. For instance, Meyyappan Pillai was a celebrated Tamil poet and playwright who lived in the late 18th century.

Another notable figure was Meyyappan Sthapathi, a renowned architect and master builder from the 18th century, who was responsible for the construction of several iconic temples and monuments in Tamil Nadu, including the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple in Kumbakonam.

In the 19th century, Meyyappan Krishnaswami Iyer was a prominent social reformer and advocate for women's education, who played a significant role in the establishment of several educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.

As the name Meyyappan is deeply rooted in the Tamil cultural heritage, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, administrators, and community leaders throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meyyappan

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

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 Meyyappan 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.

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Meyyappan, 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!