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

Sodhi, 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 Sodhi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sodhi in America

Sodhi is the 29171st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sodhi surname appeared 812 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 Sodhi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sodhi 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 Sodhi

The surname Sodhi is of Indian origin, originating from the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. It can be traced back to the 16th century, during the reign of the Mughal Empire. The name Sodhi is derived from the Sanskrit word "Saudha," which means "a descendant of the Sun."

The Sodhis were a prominent Khatri clan that played a significant role in the history of the Sikh religion. They were among the earliest converts to Sikhism and were closely associated with the Sikh Gurus, particularly Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Hargobind Sahib.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Sodhi surname can be found in the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, which mentions Bhai Bhagatu Sodhi, a devoted follower of Guru Arjan Dev. Bhai Bhagatu Sodhi is believed to have lived in the late 16th century.

Another notable figure from the Sodhi clan was Bhai Mati Das Sodhi, who was one of the five beloved ones (Panj Pyare) of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. Bhai Mati Das Sodhi was born in 1663 and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Khalsa, the collective body of initiated Sikhs.

During the 18th century, the Sodhis established their own misl (a confederacy of sovereign Sikh warriors) known as the Sodhi Misl. This misl was based in the Ferozepur and Gurdaspur regions of Punjab and was led by Charhat Singh Sodhi (1716-1770), who is remembered for his bravery and military prowess.

Another prominent figure from the Sodhi clan was Bhai Vir Singh Sodhi (1872-1957), a renowned Sikh scholar, theologian, and writer. He was instrumental in reviving and promoting the Punjabi language and Sikh literature. His works, such as "Sri Guru Nanak Chamatkar" and "Sundri," are considered literary masterpieces.

Sardar Khushwant Singh Sodhi (1915-2014), a renowned Indian writer and journalist, was also a member of the Sodhi clan. His iconic works, including "Train to Pakistan" and "The Company of Women," have earned him international acclaim and numerous literary awards.

Throughout history, the Sodhi surname has been closely associated with the Sikh faith and has played a significant role in the religious, cultural, and literary traditions of Punjab and the greater Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sodhi

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!