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

Modi, 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 Modi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Modi in America

Modi is the 10429th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Modi surname appeared 3,085 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Modi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Modi 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 Modi

The surname MODI has its origins in India, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "modaka," which means a small ball of rice or flour, often sweetened. In some regions, it also refers to a person who sells or makes these sweet delicacies.

The earliest recorded instances of the MODI surname can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and historical texts, where it was used to identify individuals involved in the preparation or trade of modaka sweets. One notable example is the mention of a "Modi" family in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century historical account written during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

In the 14th century, the MODI surname appeared in the Jain community records of Gujarat, a state in western India. These records documented the presence of MODI families engaged in various professions, including trading, banking, and agriculture.

Over the centuries, the MODI surname has been associated with several prominent figures. One such individual was Damodar Modi (1642-1712), a renowned Jain scholar and poet from Gujarat, known for his contributions to Jain literature and philosophy.

Another notable person was Narottam Modi (1870-1950), a pioneer of the Indian freedom movement and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He played a crucial role in the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Quit India Movement against British colonial rule.

In the literary realm, Sarat Chandra Modi (1876-1959) was a renowned Bengali writer and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian history and culture. His works include translations of ancient Sanskrit texts and research on Bengal's medieval history.

More recently, Narendra Modi (born 1950) became the Prime Minister of India in 2014. He hails from a MODI family in Gujarat and has been a prominent figure in Indian politics since the late 20th century.

While the MODI surname is predominantly found in India, particularly in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Modi

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

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

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

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