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

Venugopalan, 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 Venugopalan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Venugopalan in America

Venugopalan is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Venugopalan surname appeared 133 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 Venugopalan.

The history of the last name Venugopalan

The surname Venugopalan is of Indian origin, particularly from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It traces its roots back several centuries to the ancient Tamil language and culture.

The name Venugopalan is a combination of two Sanskrit words: 'Venu' meaning flute or bamboo, and 'Gopalan' meaning cowherd or protector of cows. This suggests that the name was likely associated with individuals who played the flute or were involved in pastoral activities related to cows, which were revered in Hindu tradition.

One of the earliest known references to the name Venugopalan can be found in the Tamil literary work "Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam," which dates back to the 16th century CE. This work mentions a devotee of Lord Shiva named Venugopalan, indicating the name's usage during that era.

In the 17th century, a prominent Tamil scholar and poet named Venugopala Desikar (1595-1680) gained recognition for his works on Vaishnavism, a major branch of Hinduism. His contributions to Tamil literature and philosophy have earned him a significant place in the cultural history of South India.

Another notable figure with the surname Venugopalan was Venkatarama Venugopalan (1865-1936), a pioneering Indian industrialist and entrepreneur. He played a crucial role in the development of the textile industry in the city of Coimbatore, earning him the title "Father of Coimbatore Industries."

In the 20th century, Dr. V.K. Venugopalan (1924-2002) was a renowned Indian nuclear scientist who made significant contributions to the development of India's nuclear program. He served as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and was awarded the prestigious Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor.

Venugopalan Nair (1904-1982) was a celebrated Malayalam writer and literary critic from Kerala. His works, including novels, short stories, and literary criticism, earned him several accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, India's highest literary honor.

While the surname Venugopalan is predominantly found in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it has also spread to other parts of India and the world due to migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Venugopalan

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

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

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

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