Sampath last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Sampath

A surname referring to someone who followed the righteous path or was prosperous in life.

Sampath, 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 Sampath surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sampath in America

Sampath is the 31329th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sampath surname appeared 740 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 Sampath.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sampath 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 31329 46944 -39.90%
Count 740 426 53.86%
Proportion per 100k 0.25 0.16 43.90%

The history of the last name Sampath

The surname SAMPATH is of Indian origin, with roots tracing back to the ancient Tamil language. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period in the southern regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

One of the earliest known references to the name SAMPATH can be found in ancient Tamil literary works, where it was used to describe individuals who had achieved prosperity or success in their endeavors. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "sampat," which means wealth, prosperity, or good fortune.

In the 12th century, records from the Chola Empire mention individuals bearing the SAMPATH surname, indicating their social standing and potential association with prosperous professions or lineages. During this era, surnames often reflected one's occupation, caste, or place of origin.

One notable historical figure with the surname SAMPATH was Sampath Kumaran (1508-1572), a revered Tamil scholar and poet who hailed from the Madurai region. His literary works, including the epic poem "Sampath Kumara Kavyam," have been widely studied and celebrated for their poetic excellence.

Another prominent individual was Sampath Achary (1788-1863), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Kerala. He made significant contributions to the fields of calculus and astronomical calculations, earning him respect and recognition among the scholarly community of his time.

In the 18th century, a branch of the SAMPATH family migrated to Sri Lanka, where they established themselves as landowners and traders. One such individual was Sampath Gunawardena (1752-1824), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who played a crucial role in the development of the city of Colombo.

During the British colonial period in India, the SAMPATH surname was also associated with influential figures in various fields. For instance, Sampath Iyengar (1832-1901) was a prominent lawyer and judge who served in the Madras High Court, while Sampath Naidu (1867-1934) was a renowned educator and social reformer from Andhra Pradesh.

It is worth noting that the name SAMPATH has undergone slight variations in spelling over time, with alternative forms such as SAMPAT, SAMPATHY, or SAMPATHAN appearing in certain regions or historical records.

While the SAMPATH surname has its origins in South India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical and cultural significance of this surname remains deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of Indian heritage and traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sampath

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

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 Sampath was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 4.73% 35
Non-Hispanic Black Only 7.43% 55
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 83.65% 619
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.11% 23
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Sampath has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 4.73% 3.99% 16.97%
Black 7.43% 4.69% 45.21%
Asian and Pacific Islander 83.65% 80.28% 4.11%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 3.11% 10.09% -105.76%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Sampath last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 21, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/sampath-surname-popularity/.

"Sampath last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/sampath-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 November, 2024

Sampath last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/sampath-surname-popularity/.

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