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

Dhaliwal, 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 Dhaliwal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dhaliwal in America

Dhaliwal is the 10107th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dhaliwal surname appeared 3,187 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dhaliwal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dhaliwal 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 Dhaliwal

The surname Dhaliwal originated from the Punjab region of South Asia, which is now divided between India and Pakistan. It traces its roots back to the medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries CE. The name is derived from the Punjabi words 'dhal', meaning a type of lentil crop, and 'wal', referring to a hamlet or small village.

Dhaliwal was initially an occupational surname, given to individuals involved in the cultivation and trade of lentils. As the name became more widespread, it also took on geographic connotations, denoting people hailing from villages or areas known for lentil farming. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient land records and tax registers from the Punjab region during the Mughal Empire.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Dhaliwal was Bhai Mani Singh (1644-1734), a renowned Sikh scholar and warrior who played a pivotal role in preserving and compiling the sacred texts of Sikhism. His contributions earned him the title of 'Granthi' (keeper of the Guru Granth Sahib).

Another prominent individual with the Dhaliwal surname was Sardar Bahadur Sohan Singh Dhaliwal (1868-1937), a prominent leader of the Indian independence movement and a member of the Punjab Legislative Council during British rule.

In the literary realm, Gurdial Singh Dhaliwal (1932-2021) was a celebrated Punjabi novelist and short story writer, known for his vivid depictions of rural Punjabi life and culture. His works, such as "Anhe Ghore Da Daan" and "Pagg," earned him numerous accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Another notable figure was Sardar Harkishan Singh Dhaliwal (1899-1984), a distinguished military officer who served in the British Indian Army and later became a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly, responsible for drafting the Constitution of India.

Harjinder Singh Dhaliwal (1932-2006) was a renowned Indian journalist and editor who worked for various esteemed publications, including The Tribune and Hindustan Times. He was widely respected for his integrity and commitment to ethical journalism.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dhaliwal

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

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

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

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