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

Pali, 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 Pali surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pali in America

Pali is the 60045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pali surname appeared 336 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 Pali.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pali 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 Pali

The surname PALI has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, originating from the Sanskrit language. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "pali," which means "line" or "row." It is believed to have originated in the early medieval period, around the 6th to 12th centuries CE.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PALI surname can be found in ancient Hindu texts, where it was used to refer to individuals who lived in or near a particular line or row of houses or settlements. This could indicate that the name was initially associated with a specific geographical location or community.

In the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, there is a mention of a warrior named Pali who fought alongside the Pandava brothers. While it is uncertain whether this is a direct reference to the surname, it suggests that the name has been in use for centuries.

During the 11th century, a prominent Buddhist monk and scholar named Buddhaghosa, also known as Buddhaghoshacharya, was born in the PALI family lineage. He is renowned for his influential commentaries on the Pali Canon, the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Haribhadra PALI was a celebrated poet and Sanskrit scholar from the Vijayanagar Empire in southern India. His works, including the Shatakavali and Rasamanjari, are considered important contributions to Sanskrit literature.

Another influential figure with the PALI surname was Krishnaram PALI, a 17th-century Gujarati poet and philosopher. He was known for his devotional works and his contributions to the Bhakti movement, a spiritual renaissance that swept across the Indian subcontinent.

During the 18th century, a prominent merchant and trader named Gopal PALI played a significant role in facilitating trade routes between India and the Middle East. His entrepreneurial ventures helped establish economic ties and cultural exchange between the two regions.

In more recent times, Rajendra PALI, a 20th-century Indian mathematician and academic, made significant contributions to the field of number theory and combinatorics. He served as a professor at several prestigious universities and authored numerous publications.

While the PALI surname has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. The name continues to be associated with its rich historical and linguistic roots, reflecting the diverse tapestry of Indian culture and heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pali

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

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

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

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