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

Ratnam, 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 Ratnam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ratnam in America

Ratnam is the 96799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ratnam surname appeared 188 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 Ratnam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ratnam 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 Ratnam

The surname Ratnam originates from India, specifically from the Tamil language spoken in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It dates back several centuries, with records indicating its presence during the medieval period.

Ratnam is derived from the Tamil word 'ratnam,' which translates to 'gem' or 'jewel.' It was likely initially bestowed upon individuals who were considered precious or highly valued members of their community or family.

One of the earliest known references to the name Ratnam can be found in ancient Tamil literature, such as the Sangam literature, which dates back to the early centuries of the common era. These ancient works often mentioned individuals with the name, indicating its long-standing presence in Tamil culture.

During the Chola Empire, which ruled over parts of southern India from the 9th to the 13th centuries, the name Ratnam was associated with individuals of high social standing or those involved in the arts and literature. Several poets and scholars from this period bore the surname Ratnam.

Notable individuals with the surname Ratnam throughout history include Ananda Coomaraswamy (1877-1947), a renowned philosopher, metaphysician, and art historian who made significant contributions to the study of Indian art and culture. Another prominent figure was P. Ratnam (1911-1984), a celebrated Tamil writer and journalist who received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his literary works.

In the field of mathematics, Ananthanarayan Ratnam (1910-1987) was a distinguished Indian mathematician known for his contributions to the theory of analytic functions and complex analysis.

Ratnam has also been associated with artistic pursuits, such as classical dance and music. Padma Subrahmanyam (1943-2022), a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer, bore the surname Ratnam.

The name Ratnam has also been found in historical records and manuscripts from various regions of southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and neighboring states, indicating its widespread use among Tamil communities.

While the surname Ratnam has its roots in Tamil culture, it has since spread to other parts of India and across the globe, carried by Tamil diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ratnam

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

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

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

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