Explore the Family Name Santhanam

The meaning of Santhanam

Indian (Tamil Nadu): from a Tamil personal name, derived from Sanskrit santaan ‘child’. — 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 Santhanam in the United States?

Based on Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Santhanam has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 92,601 in terms of popularity and had a count of 184. By 2010, the rank had improved to 53,802 with a count of 384. This change represents an increase of 41.9% in rank and a whopping 108.7% increase in count. The proportion of individuals with the Santhanam surname per 100,000 people also rose from 0.07 in 2000 to 0.13 in 2010, showing an 85.71% growth.

20002010Change
Rank#92,601#53,80241.9%
Count184384108.7%
Proportion per 100k0.070.1385.71%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Santhanam

In regard to the ethnic identity associated with the Santhanam surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that most bearers of this surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. In 2000, about 90.22% identified under this ethnicity and the number further increased to 93.49% in 2010. There was a notable decrease in individuals identifying as having two or more races or White. From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of people with the surname Santhanam identifying as having two or more races declined from 5.98% to 3.13%, while those identifying as White dropped from 3.26% to 1.82%. No individuals with the surname Santhanam identified as Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native for both the years.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander90.22%93.49%3.62%
Two or More Races5.98%3.13%-47.66%
White3.26%1.82%-44.17%
Hispanic0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%