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

Padia, 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 Padia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Padia in America

Padia is the 34916th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Padia surname appeared 646 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 Padia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Padia 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 Padia

The surname Padia originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the region of Gujarat in western India. The name can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries CE. It is believed to derive from the Sanskrit word "pada," which means "foot" or "footprint," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with a person's occupation or trade related to footwear or travel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Padia surname can be found in the Navanathacharitra, a 12th-century Jain text that mentions a person named Padia Deva, who was a prominent merchant and patron of the Jain community. This record provides evidence of the name's existence during the medieval period in Gujarat.

In the 14th century, the Padia surname appears in inscriptions and manuscripts from the Solanki dynasty, which ruled over parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. One notable figure was Padia Mandalika, a wealthy merchant and landowner who funded the construction of several temples and religious institutions in the region.

During the Mughal era, the Padia name gained prominence in the city of Ahmedabad, which was a major center of trade and commerce. In the 16th century, a distinguished Padia family was involved in the textile industry and held influential positions within the local mercantile community.

In the 18th century, Padia Sheth Motilal (1714-1788) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Ahmedabad. He established several educational institutions and contributed significantly to the development of the city's infrastructure.

Another notable figure was Padia Saravanji (1816-1890), a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on Jain philosophy and literature. His works, such as the Saravanji Samhita, are considered important contributions to the preservation of Jain traditions.

Over time, the Padia surname has spread across various parts of India, particularly in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. While the name is predominantly found among Hindu and Jain communities, it has also been adopted by other religious groups due to intermarriages and cultural assimilation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Padia

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

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

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

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