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

Somasundaram, 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 Somasundaram surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Somasundaram in America

Somasundaram is the 52851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Somasundaram surname appeared 392 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 Somasundaram.

We can also compare 2010 data for Somasundaram 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 Somasundaram

The surname Somasundaram is of Indian origin, specifically from the Tamil-speaking regions of South India. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century CE.

The name Somasundaram is a compound word derived from two Tamil words: 'Soma' meaning the moon or Monday, and 'Sundaram' meaning beautiful or handsome. The name can be loosely translated as "the beautiful moon" or "the handsome one belonging to Monday."

Records of the name Somasundaram can be found in ancient Tamil literature and inscriptions from the Chola and Pandya dynasties that ruled over parts of modern-day Tamil Nadu and neighboring regions. The name was likely bestowed upon individuals born on a Monday or during a significant lunar phase, as per the Tamil naming traditions influenced by Hindu astrological beliefs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Somasundaram can be traced back to a Tamil poet and scholar who lived during the reign of the Chola king Kulottunga I in the 12th century CE. This poet, known as Somasundaram Pillai, was renowned for his contributions to Tamil literature and philosophy.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Somasundaram was Somasundaram Avergal, a Tamil scholar and grammarian who lived in the 16th century CE. He authored several works on Tamil grammar and literature, including the acclaimed treatise "Ilakkana Vilakkam."

In the 18th century, Somasundaram Mudhaliar was a prominent Tamil scholar and administrator who served as the Dewan (minister) under the Maratha ruler Chanda Sahib. He was instrumental in the revival and promotion of Tamil language and literature during that period.

More recently, Somasundaram Annamalai was a renowned Indian freedom fighter and politician from Tamil Nadu, who lived from 1891 to 1963. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

Somasundaram Subramaniam, born in 1918, was a prominent Tamil writer and journalist. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award, one of the highest literary honors in India, for his novel "Tanni Vazhi" in 1989.

While the surname Somasundaram is predominantly found among Tamil communities in South India, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diasporas, carrying with it the rich cultural heritage and linguistic traditions of the Tamil people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Somasundaram

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!