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Shankar Family History

Shankar Surname Meaning

Indian (southern states): from a personal name based on Sanskrit šankara ‘happiness or prosperity’ (from šam ‘happiness, prosperity’ + -kara ‘causing’). This is an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva.

Among people who have migrated from Kerala and Tamil Nadu it is a variant of Sankaran. Compare Sankar.

— 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.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Shankar family from?

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shankar surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Shankar ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Housekeeper was the top reported job for people in the USA named Shankar. 100% of Shankar women worked as a Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Shankar | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    100%

What Shankar family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 141 census records available for the last name Shankar. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shankar census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shankar

Passenger Lists

There are 287 immigration records available for the last name Shankar. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shankar immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 932 military records available for the last name Shankar. For the veterans among your Shankar ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shankar military records

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What is the average Shankar lifespan?

Between 1980 and 2004, in the United States, Shankar life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2003, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Shankar in 1980 was 82, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shankar

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shankar ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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