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

Saini, 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 Saini surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saini in America

Saini is the 8828th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saini surname appeared 3,711 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Saini.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saini 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 Saini

The surname SAINI originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of present-day India and Pakistan. Its roots can be traced back to the 12th century or earlier, during the medieval period of Indian history.

SAINI is derived from the Sanskrit word "Shrenī," which means "a class" or "a group." It was initially used as a caste or community title for certain groups of people involved in trading, agriculture, or other occupations. Over time, it evolved into a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest written records of the SAINI surname can be found in the Apabhramsa literary works of the 12th century, where it was mentioned in the context of mercantile communities. It is also believed to have appeared in various local chronicles and inscriptions from that era.

The SAINI name has been associated with several notable historical figures, including Malik Saini, a prominent military commander who served under the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Rai Saini, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from the 16th century, who funded the construction of several temples and educational institutions in present-day Rajasthan.

In the 17th century, the SAINI surname was recorded in various administrative records and land ownership documents across the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. Some of the earliest recorded examples include Rao Saini, a landowner in the Sirhind region, and Kunwar Saini, a local chieftain in the Malwa region.

Other notable individuals bearing the SAINI surname include Lachman Singh Saini (1896-1965), an Indian freedom fighter and political activist, and Karan Singh Saini (1920-2005), a renowned agricultural scientist and pioneer in the field of plant genetics.

It is important to note that the SAINI surname has been subject to various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Sani, Sayny, and Saine, often reflecting regional dialects and local pronunciations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saini

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

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

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

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