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

Makhani, 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 Makhani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Makhani in America

Makhani is the 83541st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Makhani surname appeared 225 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 Makhani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Makhani 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 Makhani

The surname MAKHANI has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "makhan," which means butter or ghee. This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the production or trade of dairy products during ancient times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MAKHANI surname can be traced back to the 16th century in the Mughal Empire, where it was mentioned in various administrative records and historical manuscripts. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Mukhani" or "Makhana," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the MAKHANI name gained prominence in the region of Punjab, which was then ruled by various Sikh empires and princely states. Several individuals bearing this surname held influential positions within the local administration and military ranks. One notable figure was Bhai Makhan Singh Makhani (1770-1837), a revered Sikh warrior and scholar who played a significant role in the defense of the Sikh Empire against Afghan invaders.

Another historical figure associated with the MAKHANI surname was Raja Fateh Singh Makhani (1810-1880), a prominent landowner and chieftain from the Ludhiana district of Punjab. He was known for his contributions to the development of the region and his patronage of educational institutions.

In the 20th century, the MAKHANI name continued to be prevalent in various parts of India and Pakistan. One prominent figure was Dr. Gurdial Singh Makhani (1914-1995), a renowned educationist and literary figure from Punjab, who served as the principal of various prestigious colleges and contributed significantly to the promotion of Punjabi language and literature.

Another notable individual was Major General Satish Makhani (1932-2017), a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army who served in various key command and staff appointments, including as the General Officer Commanding of the elite Sikh Light Infantry Regiment.

Over the centuries, the MAKHANI surname has also been associated with various place names in the Indian subcontinent, such as Makhani Khurd and Makhani Kalan, which are villages located in the present-day states of Punjab and Haryana in India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Makhani

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

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

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

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