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

Raju, 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 Raju surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raju in America

Raju is the 15560th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raju surname appeared 1,880 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Raju.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raju 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 Raju

The surname Raju is of Indian origin, specifically from the southern regions of the subcontinent. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 10th century.

Raju is derived from the Sanskrit word "Raja," which means "king" or "ruler." It was initially used as a title or honorific for those belonging to the ruling class or aristocracy. Over time, it evolved into a surname adopted by various families across India.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Raju surname can be found in the inscriptions and copper plate grants issued by the Pallava dynasty, which ruled parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh between the 6th and 9th centuries CE. These ancient records mention individuals with the title "Raju" or variations such as "Rajendra" and "Rajaraja."

During the reign of the Chola Empire, which dominated the southern Indian regions from the 9th to 13th centuries, the Raju surname gained further prominence. Several notable figures from this period bore the Raju name, including the celebrated Chola ruler Raja Raja Chola I (985-1014 CE), who was responsible for the construction of the magnificent Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur.

Another influential figure with the Raju surname was Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 CE), the son of Raja Raja Chola I. He expanded the Chola Empire to its greatest extent, with his conquests stretching from the Ganges River in the north to the islands of Sumatra and Malaya in the east.

In the later centuries, the Raju surname continued to be prevalent among various communities and ruling dynasties across southern India. One notable bearer of this name was Raju Sahib (1739-1828), a prominent military commander who served under the Maratha Empire and played a crucial role in several battles against the British East India Company.

During the colonial era, the Raju surname was also found among distinguished individuals from different walks of life. For instance, Raju Narayana Rao (1849-1916) was a renowned Telugu poet and writer who made significant contributions to the literary and cultural renaissance of the Andhra region.

Throughout history, the Raju surname has been associated with various place names and regions, including Rajuvaripeta, Rajupalemlanka, and Rajulapeta, among others, which were named after prominent individuals or families bearing this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raju

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

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

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

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