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

Raghavan, 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 Raghavan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raghavan in America

Raghavan is the 22481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raghavan surname appeared 1,144 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 Raghavan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raghavan 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 Raghavan

The surname RAGHAVAN is of Indian origin, tracing its roots to the Tamil Nadu region of southern India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "raghava," which means "descendant of Raghu," an ancient king in Hindu mythology.

The earliest known references to this surname can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts dating back to the 5th century BCE. These texts often mention individuals with the title "Raghava" or "Raghavan," indicating their lineage from the legendary King Raghu.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname RAGHAVAN is the 7th-century Tamil poet and philosopher, Raghavan Thirumalai Nayak. He was a renowned scholar and author of several literary works, including the acclaimed "Thiruvachakam."

Another notable figure in history bearing this surname is Raghavan Vaidhya, a 12th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer. He is credited with significant contributions to the field of trigonometry and the development of planetary models.

In the 16th century, the RAGHAVAN surname gained prominence with the rise of the Thanjavur Nayak dynasty in Tamil Nadu. One of the most influential rulers of this dynasty was Raghunatha Nayak, who reigned from 1600 to 1634 CE. He was a patron of the arts and oversaw the construction of several iconic temples and monuments in the region.

During the 18th century, the RAGHAVAN surname was associated with the Madurai Nayak dynasty, which ruled over parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala. One of the most renowned figures from this period was Raghunatha Nayak, who reigned from 1710 to 1731 CE and was known for his architectural and cultural contributions.

In more recent times, the RAGHAVAN surname has been carried by several notable individuals, including Raghavan Iyer, a renowned Indian mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of artificial intelligence in the 20th century.

While the surname RAGHAVAN has its origins in the Tamil region of southern India, it has since spread across the country and can be found in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. The name has also been adopted by individuals of Indian descent living in other parts of the world, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and traditions associated with this ancient surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raghavan

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

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

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

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