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

Malani, 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 Malani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Malani in America

Malani is the 77788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Malani surname appeared 246 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 Malani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Malani 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 Malani

The surname MALANI is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the state of Gujarat. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "malani," which means "gardener" or "one who tends to gardens." The earliest records of this surname date back to the 12th century AD, during the rule of the Solanki dynasty in Gujarat.

MALANI was initially a caste name associated with the community of gardeners and horticulturists who cultivated fruits, vegetables, and flowers. As the name spread across India, it evolved into a surname adopted by families from various backgrounds, not just those involved in gardening or horticulture.

In the 14th century, there are references to the MALANI surname in ancient texts and manuscripts from the region, including the "Kuvalayamala," a collection of Jain texts written in Apabhramsha and Prakrit languages. These texts mention individuals with the surname MALANI, suggesting its widespread use during that period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the MALANI surname was Rana Malani, a notable warrior and military leader who served under the Solanki rulers in the 12th century. Another prominent figure was Bhagwandas Malani, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century and authored several literary works in Sanskrit and Brajbhasha.

During the Mughal era, the MALANI surname gained prominence, and several individuals with this name held influential positions in the imperial court. Rai Singh Malani, born in 1620, was a respected courtier and advisor to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. His son, Kesari Singh Malani (1645-1710), also served as a high-ranking official in the Mughal administration.

In more recent history, notable individuals with the MALANI surname include Jayantilal Malani (1892-1977), a prominent freedom fighter and social reformer who played a significant role in India's independence movement. Raj Malani (1924-2009) was a celebrated Indian actor and filmmaker who appeared in numerous Bollywood films throughout the 20th century.

While the MALANI surname has its roots in Gujarat, it has since spread across various regions of India and has been adopted by families from diverse backgrounds and communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Malani

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Malani, 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!