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

Verghese, 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 Verghese surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Verghese in America

Verghese is the 52037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Verghese surname appeared 399 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 Verghese.

We can also compare 2010 data for Verghese 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 Verghese

The surname "VERGHESE" has its origins in India, specifically in the state of Kerala. It is a variation of the name "Varghese," which is derived from the Syriac Christian name "Varghese" or "Vargheese," meaning "fruitful vine" or "verdant vine."

This surname can be traced back to the arrival of Syrian Christian immigrants in Kerala, who came as refugees from Persia and Mesopotamia in the 4th century CE. These immigrants brought their language, culture, and names with them, which eventually assimilated into the local Malayalam-speaking population.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "Varghese" can be found in ancient church records and inscriptions from the 9th and 10th centuries CE in Kerala. One notable example is the Vattezhuthu (an ancient script) inscription found on the walls of the Kottayam Cheriapally (church), which dates back to the 9th century.

Over time, various spellings and variations of the name emerged, including "Verghese," "Vargese," and "Varughese," reflecting the diverse linguistic influences and regional dialects within Kerala.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname "Verghese" are:

1. Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly (1876-1929), a renowned Indian poet and playwright who contributed significantly to the Malayalam literary renaissance.
2. Dr. Verghese Kurien (1921-2012), widely known as the "Father of the White Revolution" in India, who revolutionized the dairy industry and established the successful Amul cooperative.
3. Verghese Chakkola (1888-1952), a prominent Indian politician and freedom fighter who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.
4. Dr. Abraham Verghese (born 1955), an acclaimed American author, physician, and Professor at Stanford University, best known for his novels "My Own Country" and "Cutting for Stone."
5. Dr. George Varghese Verghese (1927-2014), a renowned Indian journalist, editor, and author, who served as the editor of various prominent Indian publications, including The Hindustan Times and The Indian Express.

The surname "Verghese" has a rich history deeply rooted in the cultural and religious traditions of Kerala, with its origins dating back to the early centuries of the Christian era in India. While its spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name continues to carry the essence of its historical significance and connection to the Syrian Christian community of Kerala.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Verghese

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

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

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