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

Unnikrishnan, 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 Unnikrishnan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Unnikrishnan in America

Unnikrishnan is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Unnikrishnan surname appeared 127 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 Unnikrishnan.

The history of the last name Unnikrishnan

The surname Unnikrishnan is of Indian origin, specifically from the state of Kerala. It is a combination of two words: Unni, which means "baby" or "little one," and Krishnan, derived from the Hindu deity Lord Krishna.

The name Unnikrishnan first emerged during the medieval period in the regions of central and southern Kerala. It was commonly used among the Nair community, a prominent Hindu caste known for their martial tradition and land ownership.

In ancient Kerala, the Unnikrishnan surname was often associated with families or individuals who held high social status or administrative positions. It is believed that the name was initially used as a title or honorific, signifying the bearer's devotion to Lord Krishna or their connection to the Nair community.

One of the earliest known references to the Unnikrishnan surname can be found in the Vellikkulangara Grandhavari, a collection of palm-leaf manuscripts dating back to the 16th century. These manuscripts contain records of land ownership and administrative affairs in parts of central Kerala.

Notable individuals with the surname Unnikrishnan throughout history include:

1. Unnikrishnan Elayath (1892-1971), a renowned poet, playwright, and scholar from Kerala, known for his contributions to Malayalam literature.
2. Unnikrishnan Kurup (1916-1988), a celebrated Malayalam poet and lyricist, recipient of the Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honor.
3. Unnikrishnan Nair (1923-2006), an acclaimed Malayalam novelist and short story writer, recognized for his realistic and socially conscious works.
4. Unnikrishnan Namboothiri (1928-2008), a renowned classical dancer and choreographer, credited with reviving and popularizing the traditional Kathakali dance form.
5. Unnikrishnan Panicker (1913-1992), a prominent Malayalam film actor and playwright, known for his versatile performances and contributions to theatre.

The surname Unnikrishnan has also been associated with various place names in Kerala, such as Unnikrishnan Nagar, Unnikrishnan Puram, and Unnikrishnan Kovilakam, which were often named after influential individuals or families bearing the name.

While the Unnikrishnan surname has its roots in Kerala, it has since spread to other parts of India and around the world due to migration and dispersal of the Nair community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Unnikrishnan

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

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

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

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