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

Gaikwad, 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 Gaikwad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaikwad in America

Gaikwad is the 68547th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaikwad surname appeared 287 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 Gaikwad.

The history of the last name Gaikwad

The surname "GAIKWAD" originated in India, particularly in the western state of Maharashtra. It is derived from the Marathi language, which is the predominant language spoken in this region. The name "GAIKWAD" can be traced back to the 16th century when it was associated with a prominent family that held a high-ranking position in the Maratha Empire.

The word "GAIKWAD" is believed to have its roots in the Marathi term "Gaikwad," which means "cowherd" or "one who tends to cows." This suggests that the surname may have initially been an occupational title given to individuals who were involved in cattle herding or dairy farming.

Historical records indicate that the Gaikwad family rose to prominence during the reign of the Maratha ruler, Shivaji Maharaj, in the 17th century. One of the earliest and most notable figures with this surname was Pilaji Gaikwad, who served as a loyal commander under Shivaji Maharaj and played a crucial role in the expansion of the Maratha Empire.

In the 18th century, the Gaikwad family established their own princely state, known as the Gaikwad State or the Baroda State, with its capital in the city of Baroda (now Vadodara). The Gaikwad rulers governed this territory until the independence of India in 1947, when the state was integrated into the Indian union.

Among the prominent Gaikwad rulers were Sayajirao Gaekwad III (1863-1939), who is renowned for his progressive reforms and patronage of education and arts, and Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad (1908-1988), who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.

Other notable individuals with the surname "GAIKWAD" include Balasaheb Gaikwad (1888-1945), a revered social reformer and advocate for the rights of the underprivileged, and Suresh Gaikwad (1938-2023), a celebrated Marathi writer and playwright who received numerous literary awards for his contributions to Indian literature.

The surname "GAIKWAD" has also been associated with various place names within Maharashtra, such as Gaikwad Wadi, Gaikwad Nagar, and Gaikwad Pura, further emphasizing its deep-rooted connection to the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaikwad

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

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

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

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