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

Tandon, 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 Tandon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tandon in America

Tandon is the 21736th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tandon surname appeared 1,197 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 Tandon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tandon 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 Tandon

The surname Tandon is of Indian origin, specifically from the northern regions of the country. It traces its roots back to the Sanskrit language and is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

The name Tandon is derived from the Sanskrit word "tan," which means "body" or "self," and the suffix "don," which signifies a holder or keeper. This combination suggests that the name was originally associated with individuals who were guardians or protectors of their community or land.

Historical records indicate that the Tandon surname was prominent among the Brahmin caste in regions such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, which mentions a prominent scholar and administrator named Bhavani Prasad Tandon.

In the 17th century, the Tandon family played a significant role in the court of the Nawabs of Awadh (modern-day Lucknow), where they held influential positions as advisors and ministers. One notable figure from this period was Raja Jagannath Tandon, who served as the Diwan (Prime Minister) under Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula in the late 18th century.

Another prominent individual bearing the Tandon surname was Purushottam Das Tandon, a prominent freedom fighter and one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress during the struggle for independence from British rule. He was born in 1882 and played a pivotal role in the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Civil Disobedience Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.

In the realm of literature, Bhagwati Charan Varma, also known as Raskavi Raghuvir, was a renowned Hindi poet and writer from the Tandon family, born in 1867. His works, such as "Granthamala" and "Rasraj," significantly contributed to the development of modern Hindi literature.

Additionally, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, an influential diplomat and politician, was born into the Tandon family in 1900. She served as the first woman President of the United Nations General Assembly and played a crucial role in shaping India's foreign policy during the early years of independence.

While the Tandon surname has its roots in ancient India, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the cultural and political landscapes of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tandon

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

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

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

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