Persaud
A surname of Indo-Caribbean origin, most often linked to the Hindu divine name Prasad, meaning a gift or blessing.
The #3,000 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 25,823 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Persaud is generally understood as an Indo-Caribbean surname derived from the Hindu name Prasad, from Sanskrit prasāda, meaning a favor, grace, or sacred gift. In South Asian naming traditions, Prasad is a devotional name associated with something offered to and blessed by a deity, then received as a blessing. The spelling Persaud reflects English-language colonial transcription in the Caribbean, especially in Guyana and Trinidad, where Indian names were recorded in locally adapted forms.
History
The surname became established among descendants of indentured laborers from India in the Caribbean during the 19th century, when many names were written down in altered spellings by colonial clerks. It is especially associated with Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and later diaspora communities in North America and Britain. The Persaud spelling is now a common fixed family name, even where the underlying devotional name would be spelled Prasad in South Asia.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the spelling was shaped by colonial records, Persaud and Persad can represent the same underlying family name in different branches or countries.