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

Thirumalai, 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 Thirumalai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thirumalai in America

Thirumalai is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thirumalai surname appeared 148 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 Thirumalai.

The history of the last name Thirumalai

The surname Thirumalai originates from the Tamil language and has its roots in the Indian subcontinent. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 9th to 13th centuries AD. It is derived from the Tamil words "Thiru," meaning sacred or holy, and "Malai," meaning mountain or hill, suggesting a connection to a sacred mountain or a place of spiritual significance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thirumalai can be found in ancient Tamil literary works, such as the Sangam literature, which dates back to the early centuries AD. These works often mentioned names of places, people, and deities associated with the Tamil culture and traditions.

The name Thirumalai is closely linked to the Thirumalai Nayakkar dynasty, a powerful ruling family that governed parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh during the 16th and 17th centuries. The dynasty was known for its patronage of art, architecture, and literature, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage.

One notable figure bearing the surname Thirumalai was Muthuswami Thirumalai Nayakkar, a renowned ruler of the Madurai Nayak kingdom in the late 16th century. He was known for his religious devotion and his contributions to temple architecture, including the construction of the iconic Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai.

Another prominent individual with the surname Thirumalai was Muthuswami Thirumalai Pillai, a Tamil scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century. He was a prolific writer and is credited with composing numerous literary works, including the celebrated poetic work "Siruvarai Pillaikudittirumali."

In the field of modern literature, Malathi Thirumalai was a renowned Tamil writer and poet of the 20th century. She was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award, one of India's highest literary honors, for her contribution to Tamil literature.

The surname Thirumalai has also been associated with the Theravada Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka, where it is believed to have been adopted by Tamil communities that migrated to the island nation. One notable figure in this context was Ven. Thirumalai Maha Nayaka Thero, a renowned Buddhist monk and scholar in the 19th century.

Throughout history, the surname Thirumalai has been closely tied to the cultural, religious, and literary traditions of the Tamil-speaking regions, reflecting the rich diversity and heritage of South India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thirumalai

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

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 Thirumalai 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.

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

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

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