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

Nataraj, 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 Nataraj surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nataraj in America

Nataraj is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nataraj surname appeared 178 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 Nataraj.

The history of the last name Nataraj

The surname Nataraj originates from India and has its roots in Hindu mythology. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th-13th century CE.

Nataraj is a Sanskrit word, derived from the words "nata" meaning dancer and "raj" meaning lord or king. It is a title bestowed upon the Hindu deity Shiva, who is often depicted in a cosmic dance posture, representing the cycle of creation and destruction in the universe.

The earliest recorded references to the name Nataraj can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and religious texts, such as the Puranas and the Agamas. These texts describe Shiva's dance, known as the Ananda Tandava, and refer to him as Nataraj, the Lord of Dance.

In the 8th century CE, the iconic Nataraj sculpture was created at the Chidambaram Temple in Tamil Nadu, which is considered one of the most significant representations of Shiva as the cosmic dancer. This sculpture is believed to have influenced the spread and popularity of the name Nataraj among devotees and followers of Shiva.

Notable individuals with the surname Nataraj include:

1. Nataraj Ramakrishnan (born 1933), an Indian dancer and choreographer renowned for his contributions to the Bharatanatyam dance form.
2. Nataraj Vaidyanathan (born 1969), an Indian classical dancer and choreographer, known for his innovative interpretations of Bharatanatyam.
3. Nataraj Guru (1854-1919), a Hindu mystic and social reformer from Kerala, who advocated for the eradication of caste discrimination and the upliftment of the oppressed classes.
4. Nataraj Murugesan (born 1983), an Indian cricketer who played domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu and represented India in the Under-19 World Cup.
5. Nataraj Chandrasekharan (1949-2020), an Indian physicist and scientist who made significant contributions to the field of condensed matter physics.

The surname Nataraj is primarily found in the southern states of India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, where the worship of Shiva as Nataraj is deeply rooted in the cultural and religious traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nataraj

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

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

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

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