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

Dhalla, 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 Dhalla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dhalla in America

Dhalla is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dhalla surname appeared 105 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 Dhalla.

The history of the last name Dhalla

The surname Dhalla originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Punjab. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "dhall," which means "pulse" or "lentil." The name is believed to have been adopted by families who were involved in the cultivation or trade of lentils and other pulses.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dhalla can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The text mentions several individuals with the surname Dhalla, indicating that the name was already in use during the Mughal era.

In the 18th century, the Dhalla family gained prominence in the city of Amritsar, which was a major center of trade and commerce in Punjab. Several members of the family were successful merchants and landowners, and their names can be found in the records of the Sikh Empire.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Dhalla was Sardar Bahadur Bhai Arjan Singh Dhalla (1855-1939), a Sikh scholar and writer who authored numerous works on Sikh history and philosophy. He was also involved in the Singh Sabha movement, which aimed to revive and promote Sikh traditions.

Another prominent individual with the surname Dhalla was Nanak Chand Dhalla (1876-1954), a Parsi scholar and translator who specialized in Zoroastrian studies. He was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and spent much of his life in England, where he worked as a professor at University College London.

In the early 20th century, the Dhalla family also had a presence in the region of Sindh, which was then part of British India. One notable figure from this period was Jethmal Hiranand Dhalla (1897-1977), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Sindh Legislative Assembly.

The surname Dhalla can also be found in various historical records and documents related to the Punjab region, such as land revenue records, court proceedings, and genealogical records maintained by families and communities.

Some other notable individuals with the surname Dhalla include Mohan Lal Dhalla (1912-1986), a Sindhi writer and journalist, and Ranjit Singh Dhalla (1935-2020), a Sikh scholar and author who wrote extensively on Sikh history and philosophy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dhalla

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

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

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

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