Balani last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Balani

An Indian surname derived from the word "bal" meaning strong or powerful.

Balani, 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 Balani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balani in America

Balani is the 76275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balani surname appeared 252 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 Balani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balani 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 76275 92601 -19.33%
Count 252 184 31.19%
Proportion per 100k 0.09 0.07 25.00%

The history of the last name Balani

The surname Balani originated in northern India, likely in the state of Punjab or Haryana. Its roots can be traced back to the 16th century, and it is derived from the Sanskrit word "bala," which means strength or power. It may have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who possessed physical strength or courage.

One of the earliest known references to the name Balani can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document written during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document provides a detailed account of the administrative system and social structure of the Mughal Empire, including lists of prominent families and individuals.

In the 18th century, the name Balani appeared in several historical records from the region, including land ownership documents and tax records. During this period, the name was associated with influential landowners and military officers who held significant power and influence in their respective areas.

One notable individual with the surname Balani was Sardar Bahadur Balani, a prominent military commander who served under the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century. He played a crucial role in several battles against the Afghan forces and was known for his bravery and leadership skills.

Another historical figure with the surname Balani was Pandit Govind Ram Balani, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century. He was known for his contributions to Sanskrit literature and was widely respected for his literary works.

In the 19th century, the Balani family was among the influential landowners in the region of present-day Haryana. Several members of the family held prominent positions in the local administration and were actively involved in social and cultural activities.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Balani was Manohar Lal Balani, a prominent freedom fighter who participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule in the early 20th century. He was arrested and imprisoned for his involvement in the non-violent resistance movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.

Throughout history, variations of the name Balani have been recorded, such as Balanny, Balany, and Balaney. These variations often reflect regional dialects and linguistic influences in different parts of northern India.

The surname Balani continues to be prevalent in various parts of northern India and among the Indian diaspora around the world. While its origins can be traced back centuries, the name carries a sense of strength and resilience, reflecting the qualities that may have been associated with its earliest bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balani

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

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 Balani was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 10.71% 27
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 82.14% 207
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.78% 7
Hispanic Origin 2.78% 7

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 Balani has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 10.71% 9.24% 14.74%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 82.14% 75.54% 8.37%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.78% 10.33% -115.18%
Hispanic 2.78% 4.35% -44.04%

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

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

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"Balani last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/balani-surname-popularity/.

"Balani last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/balani-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Balani last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/balani-surname-popularity/.

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