Find out how popular the last name Bajwa is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bajwa.

Bajwa, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bajwa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bajwa in America

Bajwa is the 14876th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bajwa surname appeared 1,990 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bajwa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bajwa to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bajwa

The surname BAJWA traces its origins to the Indian subcontinent, specifically the Punjab region of present-day India and Pakistan. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

The name BAJWA is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "vajra," which means thunderbolt or diamond. It was likely adopted as a surname by members of the Rajput warrior clan, who were known for their valor and strength in battle. Over time, the name evolved into its current form, BAJWA.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BAJWA can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century historical account written during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The text mentions several individuals with the surname BAJWA, suggesting that the name was already well-established by that time.

In the 18th century, a prominent BAJWA family emerged in the Sialkot region of Punjab. This family played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the region and was closely allied with the ruling Sikh Empire. Notable members of this family include Sardar Jhanda Singh BAJWA (1768-1823), a renowned military leader, and Sardar Sham Singh BAJWA (1786-1846), who served as a governor under the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

During the British colonial era in India, several BAJWA individuals held influential positions. One such figure was Sir Ganda Singh BAJWA (1858-1923), a distinguished civil servant and administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab from 1920 to 1923.

Another notable BAJWA was Sardar Bahadur Sardar Shivdev Singh BAJWA (1874-1947), a prominent politician and member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the country's constitution after independence from British rule.

In more recent times, General Qamar Javed BAJWA (born 1960) served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 2016 to 2022, playing a pivotal role in the country's military and national security affairs.

While the BAJWA surname has its roots in the Punjab region, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the name's rich historical legacy remains deeply intertwined with the cultural and martial traditions of the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bajwa

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bajwa.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bajwa was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bajwa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bajwa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bajwa, please contact us.

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