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

Birla, 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 Birla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Birla in America

Birla is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Birla surname appeared 127 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 Birla.

The history of the last name Birla

The surname BIRLA originated in India, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "birala," which means "rare" or "precious." This surname was initially associated with traders and merchants who dealt in rare and valuable goods.

The earliest known records of the BIRLA surname can be found in ancient Hindu texts and manuscripts from the medieval period. One notable mention is in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, which listed various surnames and their occupations.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the BIRLA name gained prominence in the trading communities of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The towns of Pilani and Shekhawati were particularly known for their BIRLA families, who established themselves as successful businessmen and entrepreneurs.

One of the most renowned individuals with the BIRLA surname was Ghanshyam Das Birla (1894-1983), an industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.

Another notable BIRLA was Krishna Kumar Birla (1918-2008), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who led the Aditya Birla Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in India. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to trade and industry.

In the field of literature, Rajendra Prasad Birla (1919-2000) was a renowned Hindi poet and author. He received several prestigious literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Bhushan.

The BIRLA name has also been associated with educational institutions, such as the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), which was founded in 1964 and has campuses across India.

Another notable individual was Lakshmi Niwas Birla (1884-1941), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist who established several educational institutions, including the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani.

Throughout its history, the BIRLA surname has been closely associated with business, industry, and philanthropic endeavors, reflecting the core values of entrepreneurship and contribution to society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Birla

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

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

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

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