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

Chagani, 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 Chagani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chagani in America

Chagani is the 103181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chagani surname appeared 174 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 Chagani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chagani 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 Chagani

The surname CHAGANI is of Indian origin, specifically from the western state of Gujarat. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "chagana," which means "a hunter" or "a fowler." This suggests that the name may have originated among communities engaged in hunting or trapping birds for a living.

Records indicate that the name CHAGANI first appeared in the 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Empire in India. It is believed to have been initially used by members of the Koli community, an indigenous ethnic group found primarily in Gujarat and neighboring regions.

One of the earliest known references to the name CHAGANI can be found in a manuscript called the "Ain-i-Akbari," written in the 16th century by Abu'l-Fazl, the vizier of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions a village named "Chagani" located in the Surat district of Gujarat, which may have been the place of origin for individuals bearing this surname.

During the 17th century, the name CHAGANI appears in several historical documents related to land ownership and taxation in the Gujarat region. For instance, a land revenue record from the year 1632 mentions a certain "Virambhai Chagani" as a landowner in the village of Patan.

One notable individual with the surname CHAGANI was Laxmanbhai Chagani (1837-1903), a prominent social reformer and educationist from Gujarat. He played a significant role in promoting education among the underprivileged communities of the region and established several schools and educational institutions.

Another individual worth mentioning is Kanjibhai Chagani (1898-1972), a freedom fighter who actively participated in the Indian independence movement against British rule. He was imprisoned several times for his involvement in the non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi.

In the field of literature, Nanubhai Chagani (1915-1988) was a renowned Gujarati poet and writer. He authored several collections of poetry and prose works, many of which explored themes of social justice and human rights.

Lastly, Haribhai Chagani (1924-2002) was a prominent figure in the field of agriculture and rural development in Gujarat. He pioneered several innovative farming techniques and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of small-scale farmers in the region.

While the surname CHAGANI is not as widespread as some other Indian surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by several notable individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields in Gujarat and India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chagani

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

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

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

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