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

Panicker, 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 Panicker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Panicker in America

Panicker is the 34967th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Panicker surname appeared 645 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 Panicker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Panicker 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 Panicker

The surname Panicker has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern state of Kerala. It is a name that can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 9th to 12th centuries AD. The name is believed to be derived from the Malayalam word "panicker," which means "worker" or "laborer."

In the early days, the surname Panicker was primarily associated with members of the Nair community, a prominent Hindu caste in Kerala. The Nairs played a significant role in the region's history, serving as warriors, administrators, and landowners. The surname Panicker was likely adopted by those who worked as laborers or carried out various tasks for the Nair aristocracy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Panicker can be found in the Edakkazhiyur Copper Plate, a copper plate inscription dated to the 9th century AD. This ancient document mentions a person named "Panicker Iravi," who was a landowner and a member of the Nair community.

Throughout the centuries, the Panicker surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Veluthampi Dalawa, a Nair nobleman who lived in the 18th century and played a crucial role in the Kingdom of Travancore. He was a prominent military leader and served as the Dalawa (Prime Minister) of Travancore.

Another notable Panicker was Kunhunni Panicker, a 19th-century social reformer and educationist from Kerala. He was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions and promoting the education of women, which was a progressive step in that era.

In the world of literature, K. Panicker Ayyar (1885-1939) was a renowned Malayalam writer and playwright. His works, such as the play "Adukkalayil Ninnu Arangathekku" (From the Kitchen to the Stage), shed light on societal issues and the status of women.

The Panicker surname has also been prominent in the field of politics. E.K. Panicker (1888-1961) was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and a member of the Indian National Congress. He played an active role in the struggle for India's independence from British rule.

Another notable figure with the Panicker surname was V.R. Krishna Iyer (1915-2014), a renowned Indian jurist and a former judge of the Supreme Court of India. He was known for his progressive and humanitarian approach to law, and his judgments have had a lasting impact on Indian jurisprudence.

While the Panicker surname has its roots in Kerala, it has since spread to other parts of India and around the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Kerala.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Panicker

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

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

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

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