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

Purkayastha, 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 Purkayastha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Purkayastha in America

Purkayastha is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Purkayastha surname appeared 110 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 Purkayastha.

The history of the last name Purkayastha

The surname PURKAYASTHA originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Bengal. It is believed to have its roots dating back to the 16th century or earlier. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "purva" meaning "east" and "ayastha" meaning "residence" or "abode," indicating that the ancestors of those bearing this surname may have resided in the eastern part of Bengal.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname PURKAYASTHA can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document compiled during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document listed various administrative positions and titles, including the "Purkayastha," which referred to an official responsible for overseeing the eastern regions of Bengal.

In the 18th century, the PURKAYASTHA surname appeared in several historical records and manuscripts related to land ownership and revenue administration in Bengal. One notable figure from this period was Ramgopal PURKAYASTHA (1720-1795), who served as a zamindar (landowner) and played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance movement.

During the 19th century, the PURKAYASTHA surname gained prominence in the field of education and literature. Ishwar Chandra PURKAYASTHA (1812-1888) was a renowned Bengali scholar and educator who established several schools and contributed to the development of Bengali literature. Another notable figure was Ramtanu PURKAYASTHA (1830-1892), a poet and playwright who wrote extensively in the Bengali language.

In the 20th century, the PURKAYASTHA surname continued to be associated with academic and literary pursuits. Upendra Nath PURKAYASTHA (1897-1975) was a renowned linguist and scholar of Sanskrit literature, while Benode Behari PURKAYASTHA (1909-1962) was a celebrated playwright and novelist who made significant contributions to Bengali drama.

Other notable individuals with the surname PURKAYASTHA include Pramatha Nath PURKAYASTHA (1874-1943), a pioneer in the field of Indian journalism, and Anila PURKAYASTHA (1932-2016), a renowned classical dancer and choreographer who helped popularize Manipuri dance forms.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Purkayastha

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

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

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

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