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

Shahi, 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 Shahi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shahi in America

Shahi is the 44872nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shahi surname appeared 478 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 Shahi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shahi 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 Shahi

The surname SHAHI is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region known as the Indus Valley Civilization, which dates back to around 3300-1300 BCE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "shah," meaning "king" or "ruler," and is often associated with royalty or nobility.

In ancient times, the SHAHI surname was likely used to denote individuals who held positions of power or authority within their respective communities. Historical records suggest that the name was prevalent among the ruling classes and aristocracy of various kingdoms and empires that flourished in the Indian subcontinent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHAHI surname can be found in the writings of the ancient Indian grammarian, Panini, who lived around the 4th century BCE. Panini's work, Ashtadhyayi, contains references to the name SHAHI, indicating its use during that time period.

During the medieval era, the SHAHI surname gained prominence in various parts of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in regions ruled by dynasties such as the Mauryas, Guptas, and Palas. Notable figures bearing the SHAHI surname include Mahmud of Ghazni (971-1030 CE), a renowned ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire, and Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316 CE), a Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate.

In the 16th century, the SHAHI surname was also associated with the Mughal Empire, one of the most powerful and influential empires in the Indian subcontinent. Akbar the Great (1542-1605 CE), a renowned Mughal Emperor, had several courtiers and advisors who bore the SHAHI surname.

Other notable individuals with the SHAHI surname include Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869 CE), a celebrated Urdu and Persian poet, and Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817-1898 CE), a renowned Muslim scholar and social reformer.

Throughout history, the SHAHI surname has been associated with various places and regions within the Indian subcontinent, such as Sindh, Punjab, and Delhi, among others. The name has also been spelled in different ways, including Shahi, Shaa, and Shah, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shahi

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

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

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

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