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

Dhanji, 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 Dhanji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dhanji in America

Dhanji is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dhanji surname appeared 118 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 Dhanji.

The history of the last name Dhanji

The surname DHANJI originated in India, specifically in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It can be traced back to the 15th century, when it was used as a form of address for a person who was a trader or merchant.

The name is derived from the Sanskrit words 'dhan' meaning wealth, and 'ji' which is an honorific suffix used to show respect. Thus, DHANJI essentially translates to 'respected wealthy person' or 'respected merchant'.

In the 16th century, the name appears in several historical records, including the Akbarnama, a biography of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, where it is mentioned in reference to wealthy traders and merchants from the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DHANJI can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document detailing the administration of the Mughal Empire, where a merchant named Dhanji Virji is listed as a prominent figure in the city of Surat.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the DHANJI surname gained prominence among the Gujarati and Marathi communities, particularly among those involved in trade and commerce. Some notable individuals from this period include Dhanji Jadhav (1670-1738), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Pune, and Dhanji Dadaji (1725-1804), a famous trader and financier from Surat.

In the 19th century, the name DHANJI was widely used in various parts of western India. One notable figure was Dhanji Morarji (1810-1885), a successful businessman and industrialist from Mumbai, who played a significant role in the development of the city's textile industry.

As Indian communities spread across the world, the DHANJI surname traveled with them. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, individuals with the DHANJI surname can be found in historical records from countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, where they had established businesses and communities.

Other notable individuals with the DHANJI surname include Dhanji Devji (1855-1920), a prominent philanthropist and businessman from Zanzibar, and Dhanji Rattansi (1880-1953), a successful businessman and community leader in Nairobi, Kenya.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dhanji

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

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

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

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