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

Upadhyay, 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 Upadhyay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Upadhyay in America

Upadhyay is the 20780th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Upadhyay surname appeared 1,271 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 Upadhyay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Upadhyay 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 Upadhyay

The surname "UPADHYAY" has its origins in India, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Upadhyaya," which means a teacher or a preceptor. The name is associated with the Brahmin caste, who were traditionally scholars and educators.

In the ancient Hindu system of education, the Upadhyayas played a crucial role in imparting knowledge to students. They were highly respected for their erudition and wisdom. The name was initially used as a title for these teachers, but over time, it evolved into a surname.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Upadhyay can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts. One such notable example is the famous Indian philosopher and logician, Gautama Upadhyay, who lived around the 6th century BCE. He is credited with founding the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy.

Another prominent figure bearing the Upadhyay surname was Vatsyayana Upadhyay, who lived in the 3rd century CE. He was the author of the famous treatise on human sexual behavior, the Kama Sutra.

During the medieval period, the Upadhyays played a significant role in the spread of education and learning. Many of them were scholars, poets, and authors who contributed to the rich literary and cultural heritage of India.

One such notable figure was the 11th-century poet and philosopher, Abhinavagupta Upadhyay, who was a prominent figure in the Kashmir Shaivism tradition. His works, such as the Tantraloka and the Abhinavabharati, are considered masterpieces of Indian philosophy and aesthetics.

In the 16th century, the renowned Sanskrit scholar and grammarian, Vaman Shivram Upadhyay, made significant contributions to the study of Sanskrit grammar and literature. His commentary on the Ashtadhyayi, a foundational text on Sanskrit grammar, is highly regarded.

During the British colonial period, several Upadhyays played important roles in the Indian independence movement. One such figure was Bhagat Singh Upadhyay, a revolutionary and freedom fighter who was executed by the British in 1931 for his involvement in the struggle for India's independence.

Throughout history, the Upadhyay surname has been associated with education, scholarship, and intellectual pursuits. While the name has its roots in ancient India, it has spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Upadhyay

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

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

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