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

Samuda, 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 Samuda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Samuda in America

Samuda is the 65782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Samuda surname appeared 301 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 Samuda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Samuda 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 Samuda

The surname Samuda has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, likely tracing back to the 16th or 17th century. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "samudra," meaning "ocean" or "sea," which suggests that the name may have been associated with those who lived near the coast or worked in maritime professions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Samuda name can be found in the British East India Company's records from the late 17th century, where it appears as "Samoodra" or "Samoodrah." This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time as it transitioned from its Sanskrit roots to its present-day form.

In the 18th century, the Samuda family gained prominence in the British colonial administration in India. Notable individuals from this period include Ranjit Samuda (1725-1798), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Bengal, and his son, Jaswant Samuda (1758-1824), who served as a high-ranking official in the East India Company.

As the British Empire expanded, the Samuda family began to establish roots in other parts of the world. In the early 19th century, Joseph Samuda (1789-1867), a shipbuilder and engineer, founded the Samuda Brothers shipyard in London, which played a significant role in the construction of some of the era's most iconic vessels, including the iron-hulled steamship SS Great Britain.

Another prominent figure bearing the Samuda name was Maharaja Jaswant Samuda (1818-1892), a ruler of the princely state of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India. He is remembered for his efforts to modernize his kingdom and promote education and infrastructure development.

In the 20th century, Ajit Samuda (1920-2004), a British novelist and screenwriter of Indian descent, gained recognition for his works, which often explored themes of identity and cultural clashes. His novel "Zahara's Days" was nominated for the Booker Prize in 1973.

While the Samuda surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in fields ranging from business and engineering to literature and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Samuda

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

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

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

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