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

Sundaram, 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 Sundaram surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sundaram in America

Sundaram is the 20709th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sundaram surname appeared 1,277 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 Sundaram.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sundaram 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 Sundaram

The surname SUNDARAM has its origins in the Tamil language spoken in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is derived from the Sanskrit words "sundara," meaning beautiful, and "ram," which refers to Lord Rama, a major deity in Hinduism. The name is thought to have first appeared around the 6th century CE during the Pallava dynasty, a prominent ruling family in the region.

SUNDARAM is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive title or epithet for individuals with a pleasing appearance or character traits associated with beauty and virtue. Over time, it transitioned into a hereditary surname, particularly among Tamil Brahmin communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 7th-century Tamil literary work "Silappadikaram," which mentions a character named Sundara Mudaliar. Additionally, inscriptions from the 9th century Chola Empire, another prominent Tamil dynasty, contain references to individuals with the surname SUNDARAM.

Notably, the 12th-century Tamil poet and philosopher Sundara Pandya, also known as Sundara Panditar, bore this surname. His contributions to Tamil literature and philosophy are widely celebrated. Another prominent figure was Sundara Ramasami Mudaliar (1808-1899), a pioneering social reformer and leader in the Indian independence movement.

In the realm of performing arts, the name SUNDARAM has been associated with several accomplished individuals, including Sundara Iyer (1828-1886), a renowned Carnatic vocalist, and Sundara Bai (1913-1970), a celebrated classical dancer and actress.

During the medieval period, the surname SUNDARAM was also found in parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, where Tamil communities had settled. Variations in spelling, such as Sundaram and Sundharam, were common due to regional linguistic influences.

While the surname SUNDARAM has its roots in Tamil culture, it has since spread across India and to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. Individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions in various fields, upholding the essence of beauty and virtue associated with its meaning.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sundaram

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

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

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

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