Explore the Family Name Ganga
The meaning of Ganga
1. Spanish and Portuguese: from ganga, a word literally meaning ‘pin-tailed sandgrouse’ (of onomatopoeic origin), used figuratively to mean ‘thing of little value’ and hence ‘good bargain’. 2. Italian (Sardinia): perhaps from the dialect word ganga ‘gill’. 3. Indian: from a personal name based on Ganga, Hindi name of the River Ganges, revered by Hindus as a holy river. This surname is also found in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, South Africa, and Mauritius. 4. African (mainly Congo and Angola): unexplained.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ganga in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ganga has seen a significant increase in popularity over the years. In 2000, it ranked 79,676 in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had jumped up to place 60,505, indicating an impressive increase of 24.06%. The count for this surname also increased by 50%, from 222 in 2000 to 333 in 2010. Furthermore, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people rose by 37.5% from 0.08 to 0.11 during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #79,676 | #60,505 | 24.06% |
| Count | 222 | 333 | 50% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.11 | 37.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ganga
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data suggests that the Ganga surname has associations with varied ethnic identities. The data shows an increase in representations from the Asian/Pacific Islander community, moving from 42.79% in 2000 to 44.74% in 2010. There was a noticeable growth among Black communities as well, with representation surging from 13.51% to 20.42%. On the other hand, those identifying as White fell from 22.52% to 18.92%, and those identifying with two or more races decreased from 14.41% to 9.91%. The Hispanic community came into the picture in 2010, making up 6.01% of the population with this surname, whereas there was no representation in the 2000 census. The American Indian and Alaskan Native communities showed no change, remaining at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 42.79% | 44.74% | 4.56% |
| Black | 13.51% | 20.42% | 51.15% |
| White | 22.52% | 18.92% | -15.99% |
| Two or More Races | 14.41% | 9.91% | -31.23% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 6.01% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |