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

Panigrahi, 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 Panigrahi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Panigrahi in America

Panigrahi is the 102688th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Panigrahi surname appeared 175 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 Panigrahi.

The history of the last name Panigrahi

The surname PANIGRAHI originates from the Indian state of Odisha, formerly known as Orissa. It is believed to have its roots in the 16th century or earlier. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "pani," meaning water, and "grahi," meaning holder or keeper. This suggests that the surname was initially associated with individuals who held responsibilities related to water management or irrigation systems.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name PANIGRAHI can be found in the Madala Panji, a historical chronicle compiled in the 16th century. This manuscript mentions several individuals with this surname who held important positions in the administration of the Gajapati Kingdom, which ruled over parts of present-day Odisha and surrounding areas.

The PANIGRAHI surname is also closely linked to the regions of Puri and Khordha in Odisha, where many families bearing this name have resided for generations. In these areas, the surname was traditionally associated with individuals involved in the management and maintenance of water resources, particularly those related to temples and religious institutions.

Notable individuals with the PANIGRAHI surname throughout history include:

1. Govinda Panigrahi (1865-1938), a prominent social reformer and writer from Odisha who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.
2. Jadumani Panigrahi (1915-1990), a renowned Odia poet and literary critic who received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1970 for his poetic work "Kuna Chakara."
3. Haribandhu Panigrahi (1924-2005), an accomplished Odia writer and journalist who served as the editor of the prestigious Odia daily newspaper "Sambad."
4. Nilamani Panigrahi (1924-2009), a revered Odia poet and essayist who received the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, in 1999.
5. Sachidananda Panigrahi (1898-1983), a distinguished Odia author and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of Odia literature and culture.

Throughout its history, the PANIGRAHI surname has undergone various spellings and variations, such as Panigrahi, Panigrahee, and Panigrahy, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences in the region. However, the core meaning and association with water management have remained consistent over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Panigrahi

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!