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

Prabhakaran, 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 Prabhakaran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prabhakaran in America

Prabhakaran is the 69996th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prabhakaran surname appeared 280 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 Prabhakaran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prabhakaran 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 Prabhakaran

The surname Prabhakaran originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the region of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It is believed to have its roots in the Tamil language, which has been spoken in the region for thousands of years. The name is derived from the combination of two Tamil words, "Prabhu" meaning "lord" or "master," and "Karan" meaning "doer" or "maker."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Prabhakaran can be traced back to ancient Tamil literature and inscriptions from the 5th century CE. These early mentions often referred to individuals who held positions of authority or were skilled craftsmen, reflecting the name's association with mastery and craftsmanship.

One notable historical figure who bore the surname Prabhakaran was a 12th-century Tamil poet and scholar known as Kalidas Prabhakaran. He was renowned for his contributions to Tamil literature and his expertise in various subjects, including poetry, grammar, and astronomy.

Another prominent individual with the surname Prabhakaran was Veerabahu Prabhakaran, a 16th-century military commander who served under the Vijayanagar Empire. He was celebrated for his strategic abilities and played a crucial role in several military campaigns during the empire's conflicts with neighboring kingdoms.

In the 18th century, a notable figure named Kandiah Prabhakaran emerged as a respected scholar and administrator in the court of the Madurai Nayak kingdom. He was renowned for his expertise in Tamil literature, philosophy, and law, and his writings on these subjects were highly influential during that time.

During the 19th century, a prominent individual named Ramaswamy Prabhakaran made significant contributions to the field of education in Tamil Nadu. He established several schools and educational institutions, and his efforts played a crucial role in promoting literacy and education in the region.

Another notable figure with the surname Prabhakaran was Velupillai Prabhakaran, a Sri Lankan Tamil revolutionary and the founder of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist organization that fought for an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka. He was born in 1954 and was killed in 2009 during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

While the surname Prabhakaran has its roots in Tamil Nadu, it has since spread to other parts of India and to various diaspora communities around the world, particularly in regions with significant Tamil populations. Throughout its history, the name has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including literature, military, education, and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prabhakaran

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

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

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

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