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

Bandala, 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 Bandala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bandala in America

Bandala is the 87663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bandala surname appeared 212 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 Bandala.

The history of the last name Bandala

The surname Bandala is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the regions of modern-day Pakistan and northern India. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "bandala," which means "a bundle" or "a package." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation or trade involving the bundling or packaging of goods.

The earliest known records of the Bandala surname date back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various administrative and tax records in the region of Punjab, which was then part of the Mughal Empire. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Bundhala" or "Bundalah," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and transliteration from the original Sanskrit.

In the 17th century, there are records of a Bandala family residing in the city of Lahore, which was a major cultural and commercial center under the Mughal rule. One notable member of this family was a merchant named Gopal Bandala, who is mentioned in a trade document from 1652 as having conducted business with European traders from the Dutch East India Company.

As the Mughal Empire declined in the 18th century, some Bandala families migrated to other parts of the subcontinent, including the region of modern-day Rajasthan in western India. Here, the name is found in land ownership records and local administrative documents from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the Bandala surname was Hari Bandala, a scholar and poet who lived in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, in the late 18th century. His works, which were written in the Braj Bhasha literary tradition, are still studied and celebrated in the region today.

Another notable figure was Mohan Bandala, a military commander who served under the Maratha ruler Shahu II in the early 19th century. He is credited with leading successful campaigns against the Mughal forces in the region, and his bravery and strategic skills were widely recognized.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, as members of the Bandala community migrated to other parts of the world, the surname began to appear in various records and historical documents in countries such as South Africa, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

One prominent individual with the Bandala surname was Rajendra Bandala, a South African activist and lawyer who played a significant role in the anti-apartheid movement in the mid-20th century. Born in 1925, he worked tirelessly to fight against racial discrimination and was a prominent member of the African National Congress.

Overall, the surname Bandala has a rich and diverse history, rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Its journey through time and across different regions showcases the fascinating stories and experiences of those who have carried this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bandala

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

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 Bandala 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.

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

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

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