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

Kalsi, 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 Kalsi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kalsi in America

Kalsi is the 47429th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kalsi surname appeared 447 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 Kalsi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kalsi 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 Kalsi

The surname Kalsi is of Indian origin, specifically from the Punjab region of northern India and Pakistan. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "kalasa," which means "pitcher" or "water vessel." The name likely originated as an occupational surname for those who manufactured or sold pitchers and other vessels.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kalsi can be traced back to the 16th century in various historical records and manuscripts from the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent during that time. The name appears in land ownership records and tax registries from that era.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Bhai Kalsi, a prominent Sikh warrior and military commander who lived in the 17th century. He was a trusted advisor and general under Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, and played a significant role in the Sikh resistance against the Mughal Empire.

Another notable figure with the surname Kalsi was Sardar Bahadur Sir Ganga Ram Kalsi, a renowned civil engineer and philanthropist who lived from 1851 to 1927. He was instrumental in the construction of several important infrastructure projects in British India, including the Western Yamuna Canal and the Kalka-Simla Railway.

In the literary realm, Khushwant Singh Kalsi (1915-2014) was a prominent Indian writer, lawyer, and diplomat. He was best known for his novels, short stories, and influential works on Sikhism and the Partition of India. His novel "Train to Pakistan" is considered a classic in Indian literature.

Harjinder Singh Kalsi (born 1967) is a contemporary figure who made history as the first Sikh to be allowed to serve in the United States Army while maintaining his turban and beard, in accordance with his religious beliefs.

The name Kalsi has also been associated with various place names in the Punjab region, such as the town of Kalsi in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand, which is believed to have been named after the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kalsi

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

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

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

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