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

Chaudhri, 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 Chaudhri surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chaudhri in America

Chaudhri is the 54752nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chaudhri surname appeared 376 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 Chaudhri.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chaudhri 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 Chaudhri

The surname Chaudhri originated in India and is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chaudhari," which means a holder of a superior rank or a landowner. This surname traces its roots back to ancient times when it was associated with the powerful landowning class in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent.

The name Chaudhri has its origins in the Punjab region of present-day India and Pakistan. It was initially used by the dominant agricultural communities who held significant land holdings and enjoyed a prominent social status. The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in medieval manuscripts and administrative records from the 12th century onwards.

One notable mention of the name Chaudhri is in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document provides a detailed account of the revenue system and social hierarchy of the time, where the Chaudhris were recognized as influential landowners and local leaders.

In the early 18th century, during the reign of the Sikh Empire, the Chaudhri surname gained further prominence. Several prominent figures from this era carried the Chaudhri surname, including Chaudhri Nand Singh (1690-1753), a renowned military commander and trusted advisor to the Sikh ruler, Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Another notable Chaudhri was Chaudhri Rehmat Ali (1897-1951), a prominent scholar and political activist who is credited with coining the term "Pakistan" in his pamphlet "Now or Never" published in 1933. He advocated for the creation of an independent Muslim state in the northwestern regions of British India.

The Chaudhri surname has also been associated with several other historical figures, including Chaudhri Chhotu Ram (1881-1945), a prominent leader of the Indian peasant movement and a proponent of agricultural reforms in the early 20th century.

Over the centuries, the Chaudhri surname has maintained its association with landed gentry and influential families, particularly in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. While the name has undergone various spelling variations, such as Chaudhari, Chowdhry, and Choudhary, its core meaning and historical significance remain rooted in the landowning and leadership traditions of ancient India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chaudhri

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

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

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

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