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

Pandit, 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 Pandit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pandit in America

Pandit is the 21068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pandit surname appeared 1,247 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 Pandit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pandit 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 Pandit

The surname Pandit originated in India and traces its roots back to ancient Sanskrit, the classical language of the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "pandita," meaning a learned scholar or a person of great knowledge and wisdom. The term was initially used to refer to revered Hindu scholars, philosophers, and teachers who were well-versed in religious texts, literature, and various branches of knowledge.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Pandit can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and historical texts dating back to the 4th century BCE. These texts often mentioned learned individuals and sages with the title "Pandit" or "Pandita," indicating their esteemed status as intellectuals and experts in their respective fields.

One of the most notable figures in Indian history associated with the surname Pandit was Visakhadatta, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and playwright who lived during the 4th-5th century CE. He is credited with writing the influential play "Mudrarakshasa," which is considered a masterpiece of Indian dramatic literature.

Another prominent individual bearing the surname Pandit was Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India. Born in 1889, he was a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement and played a crucial role in shaping the nation's political landscape after gaining freedom from British rule.

In the realm of music, Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) was a celebrated Indian sitarist and composer who popularized Indian classical music on a global scale. He collaborated with numerous renowned musicians, including the Beatles, and was instrumental in introducing the sitar to Western audiences.

The surname Pandit is also closely associated with the city of Varanasi (formerly known as Banaras or Kashi), which has long been a center of Hindu learning and scholarship. The city is home to many renowned scholars and teachers, or "Pandits," who have contributed significantly to the preservation and dissemination of ancient Hindu knowledge and traditions.

While the surname Pandit has its roots in India, it has since spread across various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, it remains deeply rooted in its ancient Sanskrit origins, serving as a testament to the rich intellectual and cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pandit

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

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

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

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