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

Shakya, 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 Shakya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shakya in America

Shakya is the 39960th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shakya surname appeared 549 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 Shakya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shakya 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 Shakya

The surname SHAKYA has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the regions of present-day Nepal and parts of northern India. It is a name that can be traced back to ancient times, with its roots in the Sanskrit language.

SHAKYA is derived from the Sanskrit word "Shakya," which refers to a specific clan or tribe that was prominent in the region during the time of Gautama Buddha, who was himself born into the Shakya clan. This clan was known for its warrior traditions and played a significant role in the political and social dynamics of the region.

Historical references to the Shakya clan can be found in various ancient Buddhist texts and manuscripts, such as the Pali Canon and the Jataka tales. These sources provide insights into the customs, traditions, and lineages associated with this influential clan.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname SHAKYA was Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, who lived around the 5th or 6th century BCE. He was born into the Shakya clan and later embarked on a spiritual journey that led to the founding of Buddhism.

Another notable figure in history bearing the SHAKYA surname was Aśvaghoṣa, a renowned Buddhist philosopher and poet who lived in the 1st or 2nd century CE. He is credited with writing influential works such as the Buddhacharita, a poetic biography of the Buddha.

During the medieval period, the Shakya clan continued to hold significant influence in the region, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley of present-day Nepal. Historical records mention Shakya rulers and nobles who played important roles in the governance and cultural development of the region.

One such figure was Jaya Bharo Shakya, a ruler of the Shakya kingdom in the Kathmandu Valley during the 12th century CE. He is renowned for his contributions to the construction of temples and religious monuments in the valley.

In the realm of literature and philosophy, Dharmakirti, a prominent Buddhist scholar and logician, hailed from the Shakya clan. He lived in the 7th century CE and is celebrated for his influential works on epistemology and logic, which had a lasting impact on Buddhist thought.

Another notable figure bearing the SHAKYA surname was Buddhabhadra, a Buddhist monk and translator who lived in the 5th century CE. He played a crucial role in the translation and dissemination of Buddhist texts from Sanskrit into Chinese, facilitating the spread of Buddhism in East Asia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shakya

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

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

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

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