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

Pulla, 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 Pulla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pulla in America

Pulla is the 49177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pulla surname appeared 428 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 Pulla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pulla 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 Pulla

The surname Pulla is believed to have originated in India, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "pulla," which means "flower" or "blossom." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname, perhaps given to someone who lived near a field of flowers or was associated with the cultivation of flowers.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Pulla can be found in the Puranas, a vast collection of ancient Hindu texts composed between the 3rd century BCE and the 16th century CE. These texts contain references to individuals bearing the name Pulla, indicating its use as a surname during that time period.

In the medieval era, the Pulla surname appeared in various inscriptions and historical records across India. For instance, the 12th-century Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani, a prominent ruling family in the Deccan region, included several members with the surname Pulla. One notable figure was Vikramaditya VI Pulla, who ruled from 1076 to 1126 CE.

During the Vijayanagara Empire, which dominated much of southern India from the 14th to the 17th centuries, the Pulla surname was common among the ruling elite and nobility. A famous example is Saluva Narasimha Pulla, who served as the governor of the Chandragiri province in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Pulla surname was also found among the Nayaka chieftains who governed various regions of South India. One prominent figure was Vijayanagar Nayaka Krishnappa Pulla, who ruled the Madurai region from 1564 to 1572 CE.

Another notable individual with the Pulla surname was the 17th-century Sanskrit scholar and poet, Appayya Dikshita Pulla. He was a prolific writer and authored several works on grammar, poetry, and philosophy, making significant contributions to the literary tradition of his time.

As trade and migration patterns evolved, the Pulla surname spread beyond India to other parts of the world. However, its origins and historical roots can be traced back to the Indian subcontinent, where it has been an integral part of various cultures and communities for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pulla

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

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

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

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