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

Sura, 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 Sura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sura in America

Sura is the 21439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sura surname appeared 1,219 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 Sura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sura 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 Sura

The surname Sura is believed to have originated in India, where it has its roots in the Sanskrit language. The name is thought to be derived from the word 'sura', which means 'god', 'deity', or 'hero'. This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who were considered distinguished or heroic in their communities.

In ancient Indian texts, such as the Vedas and the Puranas, there are references to deities, sages, and other notable figures bearing the name 'Sura' or variations of it. One such example is the Vedic deity Surya, the sun god, whose name is closely related to 'Sura'.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Sura can be traced back to medieval India, where it appears in various historical records and inscriptions. For instance, in the 12th century, there is mention of a Sura family hailing from the region of present-day Maharashtra, who held influential positions in the court of the Yadava dynasty.

Throughout history, the surname Sura has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sura Misra, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 8th century CE and made significant contributions to the field of Hindu jurisprudence.

Another prominent figure was Sura Sundara Pandian, a 14th-century Tamil king and patron of the arts, who ruled over the Pandyan kingdom in southern India. His reign was marked by a cultural renaissance and the construction of several temples and architectural marvels.

In the 16th century, Sura Das was a famous saint and poet from the Vaishnava tradition, whose devotional compositions are still widely revered and recited today. His birth name was Sura Dasa, reflecting the surname's continued use during that period.

Moving to more recent times, Sura P. Rao was an influential Indian diplomat and statesman who served as the country's ambassador to various nations, including the United States, in the mid-20th century.

Lastly, Dr. Sura Alladaye is a contemporary figure, a renowned medical researcher and scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of cancer treatment and drug development.

While the surname Sura has its roots in India, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Sanskrit language and the rich cultural tapestry of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sura

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sura, 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!