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

Joshi, 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 Joshi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Joshi in America

Joshi is the 3542nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Joshi surname appeared 10,089 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Joshi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Joshi 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 Joshi

The surname Joshi originates from India, specifically from the Sanskrit language. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th century AD during the Gupta Empire period.

Joshi is derived from the Sanskrit word "jyoti," which means "light" or "brightness." It was initially used as a title or an honorific for Brahmin scholars and priests who were considered enlightened and learned individuals.

In ancient Hindu scriptures and manuscripts, references to individuals with the title "Joshi" can be found. One of the earliest recorded examples is from the 7th century CE in the Puranic literature, where a scholar named Kashyap Joshi is mentioned.

The name Joshi was particularly prevalent in the regions of present-day Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, where Sanskrit learning and Brahmin traditions were deeply rooted.

Notable Joshis throughout history include Anantadev Joshi, a 12th-century Marathi poet and scholar, and Pandit Vishnu Narayan Joshi, a 19th-century Sanskrit scholar and author born in 1812.

Another prominent figure was Raja Jai Singh Joshi, a renowned astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1686 to 1743. He played a crucial role in establishing the city of Jaipur and its famous observatories.

In the field of literature, Vaman Shivram Joshi, born in 1850, was a distinguished Marathi writer and social reformer who contributed significantly to the promotion of education and women's rights.

Lastly, Gajanan Digambar Joshi, born in 1908, was a respected Indian freedom fighter and social activist who dedicated his life to the cause of Indian independence and the upliftment of marginalized communities.

While the surname Joshi is predominantly found in India, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Joshi

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

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

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

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