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

Narayan, 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 Narayan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Narayan in America

Narayan is the 11957th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Narayan surname appeared 2,614 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Narayan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Narayan 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 Narayan

The surname Narayan is of Indian origin, with roots tracing back to ancient Sanskrit. It is believed to have originated during the Vedic period, around 1500-500 BC, in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Narayan is derived from the combination of two Sanskrit words, "Nara" meaning human or man, and "Ayana" meaning path or abode. Together, Narayan signifies the "Abode of Man" or the "Path of Humanity," a name often associated with the Hindu deity Vishnu, who is revered as the preserver and protector of the universe.

Historical records and ancient texts, such as the Puranas and the Mahabharata, mention the name Narayan in various contexts, often referring to the divine incarnations of Vishnu. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text dating back to the 5th century BCE.

The surname Narayan has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most renowned individuals bearing this name was Narayan Pandit, a 16th-century Indian philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to the field of logic and philosophy. Another notable figure was Narayan Kashinath Chiplunkar, a 19th-century Indian social reformer and playwright, born in 1834 and known for his efforts in promoting education and women's rights.

In the realm of literature, Narayan Gangopadhyay, a Bengali novelist and poet born in 1918, left a lasting impact with his works exploring themes of social injustice and human emotions. The name Narayan has also been carried by influential figures in the fields of science and politics, such as Narayan Narayan Murthy, an Indian billionaire and co-founder of Infosys, born in 1946, and Narayan Datt Tiwari, an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, born in 1925.

The surname Narayan has been found in various historical records and manuscripts across different regions of India, reflecting its widespread use and cultural significance. It has also been associated with numerous place names, such as Narayanpur and Narayanpet, indicating the presence of communities or settlements bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Narayan

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

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

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

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