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

Raman, 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 Raman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raman in America

Raman is the 14105th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raman surname appeared 2,131 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 Raman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raman 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 Raman

The surname RAMAN is of Indian origin, tracing its roots back to ancient Sanskrit. It is derived from the word 'Raman,' which means 'one who delights' or 'one who rejoices.' This name gained prominence during the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

The RAMAN surname is closely associated with the Brahmin caste, particularly in the southern regions of India. It is believed that many individuals from this community adopted the name as a reflection of their spiritual inclinations and reverence for the divine.

In ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions, such as the Vedas and Puranas, there are references to individuals bearing the RAMAN name. One notable example is the sage Raman, who is mentioned in the Ramayana epic as a wise and learned scholar.

The earliest recorded instances of the RAMAN surname can be traced back to the 6th century CE, during the reign of the Chalukya dynasty in the Deccan plateau region of India. Several inscriptions and copper plates from this era mention individuals with the RAMAN surname, often in the context of scholarly or religious pursuits.

Over the centuries, the RAMAN surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, in the state of Tamil Nadu, there is a town called Rameswaram, which is derived from the name Raman. Similarly, in the state of Kerala, there is a place called Ramankutty, which means 'the son of Raman.'

Notable individuals with the RAMAN surname include:

1. Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (1888-1970), an Indian physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his groundbreaking work on the scattering of light, now known as the Raman Effect.
2. N. Raman (1908-1988), an Indian musician and composer who specialized in Carnatic music and was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968.
3. V.S. Raman (1905-1975), an Indian mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the field of partial differential equations and fluid dynamics.
4. V.K. Raman (1932-2019), an Indian writer and journalist known for his works on Indian culture, history, and spirituality, including the book "Hinduism: An Integral Vision."
5. R. Raman (1916-1996), an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked primarily in the Tamil film industry and directed notable movies such as "Panam" and "Thaikku Thalaimagan."

The RAMAN surname has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. It has been associated with scholarly and artistic pursuits, as well as spiritual and religious traditions, reflecting the diverse and profound heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raman

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

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

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

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