Explore the Family Name Ganesh
The meaning of Ganesh
Indian (southern states): from a personal name based on Hindi and Sanskrit gaṇeṣa ‘lord of the army’ (from gaṇa ‘army’ + īša). This is an epithet of the elephant-headed Hindu god, the son of Shiva. Among Tamil and Malayalam speakers who have migrated from their home states it is a variant of Ganesan. — Note: Since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Krishna, Muthu, Ramesh, Ravi, Anil, Arumugam, Deodath, Dinesh, Gopala, Jaishankar, Jyoti.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ganesh in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Ganesh has shown a significant increase in popularity in the United States between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 27,289th most common surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 18,326th position, representing an increase of about 33 percent. The total count of individuals with this surname also saw a substantial rise from 833 in 2000 to 1,512 in 2010, marking an increase of over 81 percent. The proportion of the population carrying this surname per 100,000 people grew from 0.31 to 0.51 during the same period, which is a growth of nearly 65 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,289 | #18,326 | 32.84% |
| Count | 833 | 1,512 | 81.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.51 | 64.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ganesh
On the subject of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates that a majority of individuals with the surname Ganesh identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group increased from 64.59 percent in 2000 to 78.37 percent in 2010, a change of over 21 percent. Those identifying as having two or more races dropped significantly from 22.45 percent in 2000 to just 5.03 percent in 2010. The numbers for White rose slightly from 2.28 percent to 3.84 percent, while those identifying as Black saw an increase from 6.48 percent to 9.06 percent. Meanwhile, percentages for Hispanic remained relatively stable, while those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 64.59% | 78.37% | 21.33% |
| Black | 6.48% | 9.06% | 39.81% |
| Two or More Races | 22.45% | 5.03% | -77.59% |
| White | 2.28% | 3.84% | 68.42% |
| Hispanic | 2.28% | 2.25% | -1.32% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.92% | 1.46% | -23.96% |