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

Thiagarajan, 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 Thiagarajan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thiagarajan in America

Thiagarajan is the 56073rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thiagarajan surname appeared 365 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 Thiagarajan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thiagarajan 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 Thiagarajan

The surname THIAGARAJAN is a Tamil name that originated in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, between the 6th and 13th centuries AD. The name is derived from the Tamil words "Thiru" meaning "sacred" or "holy," and "Agarajan" which refers to a person who performs rituals or ceremonies.

This surname is closely associated with the Hindu Brahmin community in Tamil Nadu, who were traditionally involved in religious and scholarly pursuits. Many ancient Tamil literary works and inscriptions from this period mention individuals with the surname THIAGARAJAN or its variants, indicating its long-standing presence in the region.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is found in a 9th-century inscription from the Chola Dynasty, which ruled parts of southern India between the 9th and 13th centuries. The inscription mentions a scholar and poet named Thiagarajan Mudaliar, who was known for his contributions to Tamil literature.

Another notable individual with this surname was Thiagarajan Bhattathiri (1508-1585), a prominent scholar and philosopher from the Nair community of Kerala. He is revered for his works on Vedanta philosophy and his contributions to the renaissance of Sanskrit studies in the region.

During the medieval period, the name THIAGARAJAN was also associated with various place names in Tamil Nadu, such as Thiruagarajanpettai, a town near the city of Cuddalore, which was named after a local chieftain or landowner bearing this surname.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the surname THIAGARAJAN gained prominence in various fields. One such figure was Thiagarajan Chettiar (1785-1865), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from the Nagarathar community, who was instrumental in establishing educational institutions and supporting literary activities in the region.

Another notable person was Thiagarajan Pillai (1860-1925), a renowned Tamil scholar, writer, and social reformer who worked towards the upliftment of women and the downtrodden communities in Tamil Nadu.

In more recent times, several individuals with the surname THIAGARAJAN have made significant contributions in various fields, including academia, arts, and literature, further solidifying the historical and cultural significance of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thiagarajan

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

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

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

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