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

Modak, 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 Modak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Modak in America

Modak is the 69996th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Modak surname appeared 280 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 Modak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Modak 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 Modak

The surname Modak is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the state of Maharashtra. It likely traces its roots back to the early medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century CE. The name Modak is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "modak," which refers to a sweet dumpling made of rice flour and jaggery, often associated with Hindu festivals.

One of the earliest known references to the Modak surname can be found in ancient inscriptions and records from the Maratha Empire, which ruled significant portions of the Indian subcontinent between the 17th and 19th centuries. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Pune, Satara, and Solapur, where it was commonly used by members of the Brahmin community.

In historical documents, the surname Modak is sometimes spelled differently, such as "Modak," "Modaka," or "Modaki." These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and scribal practices. The name has also been associated with certain place names in Maharashtra, such as the town of Modak in the Solapur district.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Modak surname. One prominent example is Govind Sakharam Modak (1823-1891), a renowned Marathi playwright and social reformer who advocated for women's education and the abolition of the dowry system. Another notable figure is Satyavati Krishnaji Modak (1881-1960), a pioneer in the field of women's education and the founder of the Arya Mahila Samaj, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of women.

Other notable individuals with the Modak surname include Narayan Mahadeo Modak (1847-1919), a respected scholar and author who contributed significantly to the study of Marathi literature and language, and Shripad Babaji Modak (1873-1956), a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who worked alongside Mahatma Gandhi during the Indian independence movement.

In more recent times, the Modak surname has gained recognition through individuals such as Nikhil Modak (born 1976), an acclaimed Indian classical singer and composer, and Govind Modak (born 1978), a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Modak

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

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

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

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