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

Gadhia, 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 Gadhia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gadhia in America

Gadhia is the 102197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gadhia surname appeared 176 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 Gadhia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gadhia 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 Gadhia

The surname Gadhia has its origins in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "gadha," which means "fort" or "fortified place." This suggests that the name was originally held by individuals who lived in or near a fortified town or settlement.

Gadhia is a relatively common surname among the Gujarati community, particularly among those belonging to the Lohana and Bhatia castes. These communities have a long history of involvement in trade and commerce, and it is possible that the name was initially associated with merchants or traders who lived in fortified settlements along major trade routes.

While there are no definitive historical records of the name's earliest use, some scholars believe that the Gadhia surname can be traced back to the 12th or 13th century, during the reign of the Solanki and Vaghela dynasties in Gujarat. These were prosperous periods for the region, marked by the flourishing of trade and urban centers.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative manual commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar. The text mentions a place called "Gadhi" in present-day Gujarat, which may have been the original settlement from which the surname derived.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Gadhia surname. One of the earliest was Shantidas Gadhia (1587-1667), a celebrated Gujarati poet and writer who is credited with popularizing the "Akhyan" literary form. Another prominent figure was Shantidas Gadhia (1809-1889), a social reformer and educator who advocated for women's education and the abolition of child marriage.

In more recent times, the Gadhia surname has been associated with successful business leaders and entrepreneurs. Examples include Ramesh Gadhia (1932-2011), the founder of the Gadhia Group of companies, and Kirit Gadhia (born 1957), a prominent investment banker and philanthropist.

It is worth noting that the Gadhia surname has undergone various spelling variations over time, including Gadhi, Gadiya, and Gadiya. Additionally, the name has been recorded in different parts of India, suggesting that individuals with this surname may have migrated to other regions while maintaining their ancestral identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gadhia

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

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

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

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