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

Desai, 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 Desai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desai in America

Desai is the 1938th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desai surname appeared 18,638 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Desai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desai 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 Desai

The surname Desai originated in India, specifically in the western state of Gujarat. The name can be traced back to the 10th century AD, during the rule of the Chalukya dynasty. It is derived from the Sanskrit word 'desh,' meaning 'country' or 'region,' and the suffix 'ai' denoting 'belonging to.' Thus, Desai essentially means 'one belonging to a particular region or country.'

In ancient records, the name Desai was often associated with members of the Brahmin caste who served as advisors or administrators in various princely states across Gujarat. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a historical text called the 'Prabandha Chintamani,' written by the Jain scholar Merutunga in the 14th century.

The Desai surname was particularly prominent in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, where many Desai families held influential positions in the courts of local rulers. One notable example is Shri Khemraj Desai, a renowned scholar and advisor to the Nawanagar state in the 18th century.

Another significant figure in history with the Desai surname was Govardhanram Tripathi Desai, a prominent social reformer and writer who lived from 1835 to 1899. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Gujarati language and literature.

During the British Raj in India, several Desai families became prominent landowners and businessmen. One such family was led by Khushalbhai Desai, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who lived from 1856 to 1926.

In the realm of arts and culture, the Desai name has also made its mark. Jnanpith Award-winning novelist and playwright, Bhagwati Desai (1906-1988), was a prominent figure in the Gujarati literary world.

Another notable figure was Morarji Desai, who served as the Prime Minister of India from 1977 to 1979. He was born in 1896 and played a significant role in India's independence movement and post-independence politics.

While the Desai surname has its roots in Gujarat, it has since spread across various parts of India and even internationally. However, its historical origins and significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the western Indian state.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desai

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

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

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

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