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

Sakthivel, 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 Sakthivel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sakthivel in America

Sakthivel is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sakthivel surname appeared 154 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 Sakthivel.

The history of the last name Sakthivel

The surname Sakthivel originated in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India and dates back to the 6th century CE. It is derived from the Tamil words "Sakthi" meaning divine power and "Vel" meaning a spear or lance, referring to the powerful and divine spear of the Hindu god Murugan.

Sakthivel was initially used as a title or honorific for devout worshippers of Murugan, who was revered for his bravery and valor in battle. Over time, it transitioned into a hereditary family name among the Tamil Hindus.

One of the earliest known references to the name Sakthivel can be found in the Tevaram, a collection of Tamil devotional poems composed by the Nayanar saints between the 6th and 9th centuries CE. These poems praise Murugan and his divine spear, often mentioning devotees with the title Sakthivel.

In the 12th century, the Chola king Kulothunga Chola II commissioned the construction of the famous Murugan temple in Tiruchirapalli, which features intricate carvings depicting scenes from Hindu mythology, including Murugan wielding his spear. The temple records from this period mention several individuals with the surname Sakthivel among the temple's patrons and donors.

One notable historical figure with the surname Sakthivel was Sakthivel Mudaliar (1785-1857), a prominent merchant and philanthropist from the city of Madurai. He funded the construction of several temples, schools, and public works in the region and was known for his charitable contributions to the community.

Another influential Sakthivel was Sakthivel Pillai (1856-1924), a Tamil scholar and writer who authored several works on Tamil literature, grammar, and philosophy. His book "Tholkappiyam Araychi" is considered a seminal work on the ancient Tamil grammar text Tholkappiyam.

In the early 20th century, Sakthivel Mudaliar (1891-1968) was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council and advocated for the rights of the Tamil community.

The name Sakthivel has also been associated with place names in Tamil Nadu, such as Sakthivel Nagar, a town named after the 19th-century philanthropist Sakthivel Mudaliar mentioned earlier.

Throughout history, the surname Sakthivel has been closely tied to the Tamil Hindu culture, religious traditions, and the worship of Lord Murugan, reflecting the deep reverence and devotion of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sakthivel

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

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 Sakthivel 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.

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

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

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