Explore the Family Name Karunakaran
The meaning of Karunakaran
Indian (Kerala, Tamil Nadu): from a personal name derived from Sanskrit karuṇā ‘compassionate’ + ākara ‘ocean’ + the Tamil third-person masculine suffix -n, meaning ‘ocean of compassion’. — 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.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Karunakaran in the United States?
The surname Karunakaran has seen a significant increase in popularity in the United States, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname was ranked 141,788 and by 2010 it had risen to rank 86,314, representing an upward change of 39.12 percent. The count, or number of people with this surname, also doubled from 108 in 2000 to 216 in 2010. The proportion of individuals with the surname Karunakaran per 100,000 population rose from 0.04 to 0.07 during this decade, marking a 75 percent increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,788 | #86,314 | 39.12% |
| Count | 108 | 216 | 100% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.04 | 0.07 | 75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Karunakaran
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that most individuals with the surname Karunakaran identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010, with the proportion increasing from 85.19 percent to 91.67 percent. The percentage identifying with two or more races decreased significantly from 6.48 percent to 2.31 percent. The proportion identifying as White also decreased slightly from 7.41 percent to 6.02 percent. There were no reported instances of this surname among individuals identifying as Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 85.19% | 91.67% | 7.61% |
| White | 7.41% | 6.02% | -18.76% |
| Two or More Races | 6.48% | 2.31% | -64.35% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |