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

Balaji, 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 Balaji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balaji in America

Balaji is the 27707th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balaji surname appeared 868 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Balaji.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balaji 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 Balaji

The surname Balaji is believed to have originated in India, particularly in the southern regions of the country. It is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bala,' which means strength or power, and 'Aji,' which means unborn or eternal. The name is closely associated with Lord Venkateswara, a highly revered Hindu deity, also known as Balaji.

The name Balaji has a long history dating back to ancient times in India. It is mentioned in various Hindu scriptures and texts, including the Puranas and the Vedas, which are among the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. The name gained prominence during the reign of the Vijayanagar Empire in the 14th to 17th centuries, when Lord Venkateswara's temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, became a significant pilgrimage site.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Balaji can be found in the Sthala Purana, a collection of stories and legends associated with the Tirupati temple. This ancient text narrates the tales of devotees and their unwavering devotion to Lord Venkateswara, also known as Balaji.

The name Balaji has been borne by several notable personalities throughout history. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Sardar Balaji Vishwanath Phadke (1827-1883), a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement against British rule. He led the Ramoshi uprising in Maharashtra, which was one of the earliest uprisings against British colonial power.

Another notable person with the surname Balaji was Balaji Vishwanath (1555-1625), a prominent minister and scholar in the Maratha Empire. He served as the Peshwa (prime minister) under the Maratha ruler Shivaji and played a crucial role in strengthening the Maratha kingdom.

In the realm of literature, Balaji Mundkur (1897-1980) was a renowned Kannada writer and scholar. He made significant contributions to Kannada literature and was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, in 1958.

Balaji Tambe (1696-1767) was a prominent Marathi poet and saint from Maharashtra. He is renowned for his devotional poetry dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, and his works are widely celebrated in the Varkari tradition of Hinduism.

Balaji Rao Nayak (1925-2014) was a prominent Indian classical vocalist and composer from Karnataka. He was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, in 1992 for his contributions to Hindustani classical music.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balaji

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

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 Balaji 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 Balaji 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 Balaji was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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