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

Prabhu, 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 Prabhu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prabhu in America

Prabhu is the 19896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prabhu surname appeared 1,350 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 Prabhu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prabhu 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 Prabhu

The surname "PRABHU" is of Indian origin, specifically from the Sanskrit language. It can be traced back to the 5th century CE and was widely used across the Indian subcontinent during medieval times.

The word "PRABHU" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Prabhu," which means lord, master, or owner. It was initially used as a title or honorific for rulers, kings, and nobility. Over time, it became a surname adopted by families associated with the ruling or upper classes.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "PRABHU" can be found in the Chalukya dynasty inscriptions from the 6th century CE. These inscriptions document the reign of the Chalukya kings and mention individuals with the title "PRABHU" serving in various administrative roles.

In the 12th century, the Kakatiya dynasty of present-day Telangana region had a prominent ruler named Prataparudra Prabhu, who ruled from 1163 to 1195 CE. His name includes the honorific "PRABHU," indicating his royal status.

During the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th to 16th centuries, the surname "PRABHU" was commonly used by members of the Brahmin community who held influential positions in the administration and religious establishments.

One notable figure with the surname "PRABHU" was Sayana Madhava Prabhu, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and commentator who lived in the 14th century. He authored commentary works on various Hindu scriptures, including the Vedas and the Puranas.

Another prominent individual was Govinda Prabhu, a 16th-century saint and devotee of Lord Krishna from Vrindavan, who played a significant role in the Bhakti movement.

In the 18th century, Raghunath Prabhu was a prominent Marathi poet and writer who contributed to the literary tradition of the region.

The surname "PRABHU" has also been associated with place names, such as Prabhu Ghat in Varanasi, a famous ghat (riverfront) along the Ganges River, and Prabhu Linga, a temple complex in Karnataka dedicated to Lord Shiva.

While the surname "PRABHU" has a long and distinguished history, it is important to note that it was primarily used by upper-class families and those associated with religious or administrative roles in the past. Over time, it has become more widely adopted across various communities in India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prabhu

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

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

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

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