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

Saravanan, 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 Saravanan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saravanan in America

Saravanan is the 38582nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saravanan surname appeared 573 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 Saravanan.

The history of the last name Saravanan

The surname Saravanan has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a Tamil name, derived from the words "Saravu" meaning "flourish" or "progress," and "Anan" meaning "person." Together, the name Saravanan signifies an individual who is prosperous or flourishing.

This surname can be traced back to the medieval period in Tamil Nadu, when caste-based surnames were widely adopted. The Saravanan surname was likely associated with individuals belonging to the land-owning or agricultural communities of the region. During this time, names often reflected occupations, social status, or geographic locations.

Historical records of the Saravanan surname can be found in various ancient Tamil literary works, such as the Sangam literature, which dates back to the centuries before the common era. These works often mentioned individuals with this surname, indicating its widespread usage among Tamil communities.

One of the earliest known references to the Saravanan surname can be found in the inscriptions of the Chola Dynasty, which ruled over parts of southern India between the 9th and 13th centuries CE. These inscriptions, etched on temple walls and copper plates, recorded land grants, tax exemptions, and other administrative matters, often mentioning individuals with the Saravanan surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Saravanan surname. One prominent example is Saravanan Arul, a renowned Tamil scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century. He authored several works on Tamil grammar and literature, including the acclaimed "Nannu Vilijam," a commentary on the ancient Tamil classic "Thirukkural."

Another notable figure is Saravanan Irumborai, a 16th-century Tamil scholar and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy. His work, "Saravanan Irumborai Nool," is a seminal text on Tamil astrology and astronomy.

In the 20th century, Saravanan Iyengar, a prominent Indian economist and civil servant, held influential positions in the Indian government, serving as the first Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1935 to 1937.

Additionally, Saravanan Raghavan, a prominent Indian-American computer scientist and entrepreneur, co-founded the software company Verity Inc. in the 1980s, which pioneered the development of enterprise search and knowledge management technologies.

It's worth noting that variations of the spelling, such as Saravanan, Saravanan, or Saravanan, may have existed in different regions or time periods, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences within the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saravanan

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

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

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

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