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

Pathak, 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 Pathak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pathak in America

Pathak is the 12557th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pathak surname appeared 2,466 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 Pathak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pathak 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 Pathak

The surname Pathak has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "patha," which means "path" or "way." The surname is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Pathak can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it was used to refer to individuals who were considered guides or leaders in their respective communities. The name was often associated with scholars, teachers, and spiritual leaders who were responsible for guiding others along the path of knowledge and enlightenment.

In the 16th century, the Pathak surname appears in various historical records and manuscripts from the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent at the time. During this period, the name was associated with individuals who held positions of authority and influence within the imperial administration.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Pathak was Pandit Ram Pathak, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived during the 15th century. He was widely respected for his contributions to the field of literature and is believed to have authored several works on Hindu philosophy and mythology.

Another notable figure with the Pathak surname was Sadashiv Pathak, a prominent Marathi writer and social reformer who lived in the 19th century (1825-1891). He played a significant role in the development of Marathi literature and was a strong advocate for the education of women and the abolition of social injustices.

In the realm of politics, Govind Ballabh Pant (1887-1961), an Indian freedom fighter and statesman, bore the surname Pathak. He served as the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and played a crucial role in India's struggle for independence from British rule.

Narayan Shridhar Pathak (1914-2002) was a renowned Indian mathematician and statistician who made significant contributions to the field of probability theory and stochastic processes. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his academic achievements.

Lastly, Ila Pathak (1928-2019) was a prominent Indian actress and dancer who had a successful career in both Hindi cinema and classical dance. She was widely acclaimed for her performances in several critically acclaimed films and received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pathak

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

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

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

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