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

Pahwa, 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 Pahwa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pahwa in America

Pahwa is the 89753rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pahwa surname appeared 206 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 Pahwa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pahwa 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 Pahwa

The surname "PAHWA" finds its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of India. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th to 15th centuries.

PAHWA is derived from the Sanskrit word "pahav" or "pahwa," which means "mountain" or "hill." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals or families who lived in mountainous or hilly regions.

Historically, the name has been linked to various regions in northern India, including the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab. It is possible that the name originated in these areas and later spread to other parts of the country through migration and settlement.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname PAHWA can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document compiled during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This record lists several individuals with the surname PAHWA, indicating its presence in the region at that time.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname PAHWA throughout history, some examples include:

1. Rani Pahwa (1505-1567), a influential queen consort of the Garhwal Kingdom in present-day Uttarakhand, India.
2. Pandit Tara Chand Pahwa (1858-1932), a renowned Sanskrit scholar and educator from Punjab, known for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Indian texts.
3. Madan Mohan Pahwa (1903-1985), an Indian freedom fighter and politician who actively participated in the Indian independence movement.
4. Satish Pahwa (1927-2020), a celebrated Indian writer and journalist, known for his works in Hindi and Urdu literature.
5. Mehar Pahwa (1947-2022), an acclaimed Indian actress who appeared in numerous Bollywood films and television shows.

It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of PAHWA have also been observed, such as "Pahwa," "Pahua," or "Pahuwa," particularly in different regions and historical records.

While the surname PAHWA has its roots in northern India, it has since spread to other parts of the country and even beyond, with individuals of this lineage residing in various parts of the world today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pahwa

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

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

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

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