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

Nayani, 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 Nayani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nayani in America

Nayani is the 124548th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nayani surname appeared 138 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 Nayani.

The history of the last name Nayani

The surname Nayani has its origins in India, specifically in the state of Gujarat. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the 16th century, deriving from the Sanskrit word "nayan," which means "eyes." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with people who had striking or distinctive eyes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nayani surname can be traced back to the 17th century, when it was mentioned in a local record from the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This document referred to a merchant named Ranjit Nayani, who was engaged in trade with the Dutch East India Company.

In the 18th century, the Nayani surname gained prominence in the region of Saurashtra, located in the western part of Gujarat. During this period, a family of landowners and local administrators held significant influence in the area, with several members bearing the Nayani surname. One notable figure from this lineage was Keshavlal Nayani, who served as a revenue officer under the British East India Company in the late 1700s.

As the Nayani surname spread across Gujarat, it also found its way into neighboring regions. In the 19th century, records from the state of Rajasthan mention a scholar and poet named Govindram Nayani, who authored several works in the Gujarati language and was celebrated for his contributions to literature.

Another notable figure with the Nayani surname was Narayan Nayani, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who lived in the early 20th century. Born in 1875 in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, he established successful trading enterprises and used his wealth to support education and social causes in his community.

Throughout its history, the Nayani surname has also been associated with various place names in Gujarat. For instance, the village of Nayani in the Bhavnagar district is believed to have derived its name from families bearing this surname who settled in the area. Similarly, the town of Nayani Kachchh in the Kutch region may have connections to the Nayani lineage.

While the surname Nayani is primarily concentrated in the western Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, it has also found its way to other parts of the country and even abroad due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be traced back to the vibrant cultural and linguistic heritage of Gujarat, where it has a rich and storied history spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nayani

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

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 Nayani 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.

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

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

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