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

Kamali, 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 Kamali surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kamali in America

Kamali is the 38532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kamali surname appeared 574 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 Kamali.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kamali 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 Kamali

The surname Kamali is believed to have originated in India, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Kamala," which translates to "lotus flower." This association suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who lived near or worked with lotus flowers, or those who had a particular affinity for the revered aquatic plant.

During the medieval period, the Kamali surname was predominantly found in the northern regions of India, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Historical records from this era indicate that the name was primarily used by members of the Brahmin caste, who held esteemed positions as scholars, priests, and intellectuals in Hindu society.

One of the earliest documented references to the Kamali surname can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative manual commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions several individuals bearing the Kamali name, suggesting that the surname had already gained prominence during the reign of the Mughals.

In the 17th century, the Kamali name appeared in various manuscripts and administrative records from the Maratha Empire, particularly in the regions of present-day Maharashtra and Karnataka. During this period, the Kamalis were recognized as influential landowners and military commanders, playing a significant role in the political and cultural landscape of the time.

Notable individuals with the Kamali surname throughout history include Pandit Shri Kamali, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 14th century and is renowned for his work "Kamali Nataka," a celebrated Sanskrit drama. Another prominent figure was Raja Kamali Singh, a valiant warrior and chieftain who fought against the British East India Company in the late 18th century, earning a reputation for his bravery and leadership.

In the realm of literature, Usha Kamali, born in 1923, was a celebrated Indian novelist and playwright, known for her insightful portrayal of societal issues and women's experiences in her works. Her contemporary, Rajendra Kamali, born in 1931, was a distinguished linguist and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian languages and scriptures.

Furthermore, the Kamali surname has been associated with various place names, such as Kamalipuram, a historic town in Tamil Nadu, and Kamalapur, a district in Bangladesh. These place names likely originated from the Sanskrit root "Kamala," further reinforcing the connections between the surname and the lotus flower.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kamali

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!