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

Sahai, 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 Sahai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sahai in America

Sahai is the 46725th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sahai surname appeared 455 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 Sahai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sahai 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 Sahai

The surname SAHAI is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern region of India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "sahay," which means "helper" or "assistant." The name can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SAHAI can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This suggests that the name was already in use during the Mughal period, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century.

In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, such as the Puranas and the Vedas, there are references to individuals with names similar to SAHAI, such as "Sahay" or "Sahayak." These names were often associated with warrior clans or those who provided assistance in battle.

During the medieval period, the SAHAI surname was prevalent among the Rajput and Kshatriya communities, which were known for their warrior and ruling class backgrounds. Some notable individuals with the SAHAI surname from this era include Rani Sahay Kaur (16th century), a prominent female ruler and military leader, and Raja Sahay Singh (17th century), a renowned warrior and chieftain.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the SAHAI surname became more widely dispersed across various regions of India, particularly in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. This was partly due to the migration of individuals and families during the turbulent times of the Mughal decline and the rise of the British East India Company.

One of the most famous historical figures with the SAHAI surname is Munshi Premchand (1880-1936), considered one of the greatest writers of modern Hindi literature. His real name was Dhanpat Rai SAHAI, and he hailed from a village in Uttar Pradesh.

Other notable individuals with the SAHAI surname include Gyanendra SAHAI (1920-2009), an Indian diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of various states, and Jagdish SAHAI (1927-2004), a renowned Indian classical musician and Sitar player.

Throughout its history, the SAHAI surname has been associated with various professions, including warriors, rulers, writers, musicians, and diplomats, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sahai

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

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

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

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