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

Santoso, 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 Santoso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Santoso in America

Santoso is the 47429th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Santoso surname appeared 447 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 Santoso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Santoso 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 Santoso

The surname "SANTOSO" is believed to have originated in Indonesia, with roots dating back several centuries. It is a combination of two words from the Javanese language - "santo" meaning "obedient" or "virtuous," and "so" meaning "person." Thus, the name roughly translates to "obedient or virtuous person."

This surname is most commonly found in the central and eastern regions of Java, Indonesia, particularly in areas like Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Its earliest known use can be traced back to the 16th century, during the Mataram Sultanate era. Some historical records from this period mention individuals with the name Santoso, although the spellings varied slightly.

One of the earliest notable figures with this surname was Raden Ngabehi Santoso, a high-ranking official and military commander who served under Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo of the Mataram Sultanate in the early 17th century. He played a crucial role in several military campaigns and is mentioned in various chronicles of the time.

Another prominent individual was Ki Santoso Sukrowijoyo, a revered religious leader and teacher from the late 18th century. He was known for his wisdom and teachings on Javanese spirituality and is still highly regarded in certain communities today.

In the 19th century, Kyai Haji Santoso Anom was a respected Islamic scholar and writer from Surabaya. His works on Islamic jurisprudence and theology were widely studied and influenced many scholars of his time.

During the Indonesian National Revolution against Dutch colonial rule in the mid-20th century, Letnan Jenderal Raden Santoso Sutarjo was a prominent military figure who played a significant role in the struggle for independence.

More recently, in the late 20th century, Sutan Iskandar Djanie Santoso was a well-known diplomat and author who served as the Indonesian ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the Netherlands.

While the surname Santoso is still predominantly found in Indonesia, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the cultural heritage of Java and Indonesia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Santoso

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

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

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

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