Explore the Family Name Pillai
The meaning of Pillai
Indian (Tamil Nadu): from Tamil piḷḷai ‘son, boy’. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Radhakrishna, Raj, Krishna, Sivan, Vinod, Ammini, Anilkumar, Bala, Balakrishna, Kesava, Lata, Meena.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pillai in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Pillai has increased substantially from 2000 to 2010. In terms of rank, it moved up from 19,806th place in 2000 to 15,163rd in 2010, representing a rise of approximately 23.44%. The count of individuals with this surname also escalated by 54.65%, from 1,257 people in 2000 to 1,944 in 2010. Consequently, the proportion of people with the surname Pillai per 100,000 individuals grew by 40.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,806 | #15,163 | 23.44% |
| Count | 1,257 | 1,944 | 54.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.47 | 0.66 | 40.43% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pillai
From an ethnic identity viewpoint, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that the majority of individuals named Pillai identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This demographic group rose slightly from 87.11% in 2000 to 90.74% in 2010. There was, however, a notable decline in the percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races, dropping by nearly half from 6.44% to 3.24%. Those identifying as white and Hispanic also decreased, with the white population falling by 12.15% and the Hispanic population decreasing by 21.85%. Interestingly, there were no recorded instances of individuals with the Pillai surname identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000, but by 2010, these groups represented 0.72% and 0.26% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 87.11% | 90.74% | 4.17% |
| White | 4.69% | 4.12% | -12.15% |
| Two or More Races | 6.44% | 3.24% | -49.69% |
| Hispanic | 1.19% | 0.93% | -21.85% |
| Black | 0% | 0.72% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.26% | 0% |