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

Shyam, 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 Shyam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shyam in America

Shyam is the 114424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shyam surname appeared 153 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 Shyam.

The history of the last name Shyam

The surname "SHYAM" originated in the Indian subcontinent, likely from the Sanskrit language. It is believed to have emerged as a name around the 5th century AD, during the Gupta period of ancient India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "shyama," which means "dark-colored" or "dark-complexioned."

In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, "Shyam" is often used as an epithet for Lord Krishna, who is depicted with dark-colored skin. The name may have been adopted by devotees or followers of Lord Krishna, or it could have been used to describe individuals with a darker complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SHYAM" can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions individuals with the surname "SHYAM" in various administrative roles and positions.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the East India Company, which operated in India during the British colonial period. Several individuals with the surname "SHYAM" were employed by the company in various capacities, such as clerks, translators, and intermediaries.

Notable historical figures with the surname "SHYAM" include:

1. Shyam Sundar Das (1825-1900), a prominent Bengali poet and writer during the Bengal Renaissance.
2. Shyam Lal Gupta (1901-1944), an Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter who participated in the Indian independence movement against British rule.
3. Shyam Sundar Chakravarty (1904-1980), an Indian classical musician and exponent of the Hindustani classical music tradition.
4. Shyam Benegal (born 1934), an acclaimed Indian filmmaker and screenwriter known for his parallel cinema works.
5. Shyam Saran (born 1944), an Indian diplomat who served as the Foreign Secretary of India from 2004 to 2006.

While the surname "SHYAM" is primarily associated with Hindu communities in India, it has also been adopted by individuals from other religious backgrounds, such as Sikhs and Muslims, over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shyam

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

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

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

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