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

Wijesinghe, 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 Wijesinghe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wijesinghe in America

Wijesinghe is the 100302nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wijesinghe surname appeared 180 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 Wijesinghe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wijesinghe 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 Wijesinghe

The surname Wijesinghe is of Sri Lankan origin, and it is primarily associated with the Sinhalese community, the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka. The name dates back to ancient Ceylon, known today as Sri Lanka, and is frequently found among families that have ties to the Kandyan Kingdom, which existed from the 15th century until the British colonized the island in 1815.

The surname Wijesinghe is derived from the Sinhalese language, which itself is rooted in Pali, an ancient Middle Indo-Aryan language used primarily in the Theravada Buddhist scriptures. The syllable "Wije-" translates to "victorious" or "successful," while "-singhe" translates to "lion." Combined, Wijesinghe can be interpreted as "Victorious Lion," reflecting a sense of honor and nobility tied to the family name.

Historical references to the name Wijesinghe can be traced back through various ancient manuscripts and temple records in Sri Lanka. One notable reference is found in the 16th century during the reign of King Rajasinghe I of the Kingdom of Sitawaka, where a person named Pallewatta Gamage Don Juan Wijesinghe served as a minister.

The earliest recorded example of the surname is found in land grant records during the Kandyan period, where a chieftain named K. L. Wijesinghe was bestowed lands in the central highlands. These records are preserved in the Rajakeeya Panditha Vithara Pantha Vichara, a significant historical manuscript from the 17th century.

Among the notable figures bearing the surname Wijesinghe is Henry Wijesinghe (1901–1964), a prominent politician and a member of the State Council of Ceylon. Another influential person is Sir Edwin Wijesinghe (1889–1955), who served as a notable judge in the Colombo High Court, renowned for his contributions to Sri Lankan jurisprudence.

A remarkable academic figure is Dr. Nandadasa Wijesinghe (1916–1995), who was a pioneering physicist and professor at the University of Colombo. His contributions to the field of theoretical physics are well-regarded. In the arts, Dayananda Wijesinghe (1936–2006) gained recognition as a celebrated playwright and theater director in Sri Lanka, credited with revitalizing the traditional Sinhalese theater.

The surname Wijesinghe also extends to contemporary figures like Mohan Wijesinghe, an influential economist and policy advisor born in 1948, whose work has shaped modern economic policies in Sri Lanka and internationally.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wijesinghe

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

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

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

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