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

Soundararajan, 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 Soundararajan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Soundararajan in America

Soundararajan is the 88020th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Soundararajan surname appeared 211 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 Soundararajan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Soundararajan 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 Soundararajan

The surname SOUNDARARAJAN originates from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is derived from the Tamil words "Soundara" meaning beautiful or handsome, and "Rajan" meaning king or ruler. Thus, the name likely referred to someone of a regal or noble standing, known for their striking appearance.

Early records indicate that the SOUNDARARAJAN name was prevalent among the Brahmin communities of Tamil Nadu, particularly in regions like Thanjavur, Madurai, and Tirunelveli. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by families belonging to the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism.

In the 14th century, a renowned scholar and poet named Sundara Pandya SOUNDARARAJAN lived in the Madurai region. His works, including the celebrated "Harivamsa Purana," are considered important contributions to Tamil literature. Another notable figure with this surname was Raghunatha SOUNDARARAJAN, a 16th-century Vaishnavite saint and philosopher from Srirangam.

The name SOUNDARARAJAN can also be traced to historical place names like Soundarapandiyapuram, a town in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, and Soundararajaperumal Kovil, an ancient temple in Thanjavur. These places were likely named after individuals bearing the SOUNDARARAJAN surname.

In the late 18th century, Muthusamy SOUNDARARAJAN, a prominent landowner and philanthropist from Tirunelveli, established several educational institutions and charitable trusts. His legacy continues through the institutions that bear his name.

Another distinguished individual was Sir Sundara Rajan SOUNDARARAJAN (1872-1943), a renowned lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. He was knighted by the British government for his exceptional legal contributions.

In the 20th century, K. Soundararajan (1926-2020) was a celebrated Indian classical vocalist and playback singer who made significant contributions to Carnatic music. He was honored with numerous prestigious awards, including the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the SOUNDARARAJAN surname throughout history, reflecting its deep-rooted Tamil origins and the prominence of bearers in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Soundararajan

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

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

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

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