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

Ravi, 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 Ravi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ravi in America

Ravi is the 19498th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ravi surname appeared 1,385 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 Ravi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ravi 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 Ravi

The surname Ravi is believed to have originated in India, particularly in the northern and central regions. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "ravi," which means "sun" or "sun god." The name is often associated with the Hindu sun god, Surya.

In ancient Indian texts and scriptures, such as the Vedas and Puranas, the name Ravi is frequently mentioned in connection with various deities, rituals, and celestial bodies. This suggests that the name has been in use for centuries, potentially dating back to the ancient Vedic period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ravi can be found in the Rig Veda, one of the oldest Indian scriptures, which dates back to around 1500 BCE. In this text, the name Ravi is used as an epithet for the sun god, Surya.

During the medieval period, the name Ravi was also associated with several prominent figures in Indian history and literature. For example, Ravi Prasad, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet, lived in the 16th century and is known for his works on Hindu philosophy and religion.

Another notable individual with the surname Ravi was Ravi Varma, an Indian painter and artist from the 19th century. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the modern era of Indian art and is famous for his depictions of Hindu mythology and traditional Indian life.

In the 20th century, several influential individuals have borne the surname Ravi. One such person is Ravi Shankar, an Indian musician and composer who is widely credited with popularizing Indian classical music on a global scale. Born in 1920 and passing away in 2012, he was a highly influential figure in the world of music.

Another notable individual with the surname Ravi is Ravi Zacharias, a Canadian-American Christian apologist and author. Born in 1946 and passing away in 2020, he was known for his work in Christian apologetics and his defense of the Christian faith through public lectures and writings.

Ravi Teja, an Indian actor and film producer, is another prominent figure with this surname. Born in 1968, he has appeared in numerous Telugu films and is considered one of the most successful and popular actors in the Telugu cinema industry.

While the surname Ravi is primarily associated with India, it has also been adopted by individuals of Indian descent in other parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant Indian diaspora populations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ravi

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

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

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

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