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

Sohal, 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 Sohal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sohal in America

Sohal is the 31107th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sohal surname appeared 746 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 Sohal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sohal 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 Sohal

The surname Sohal originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically the Punjab region of northern India and eastern Pakistan. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "sohala," which means "red-colored" or "reddish-brown." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone with a reddish or tanned complexion.

The earliest known record of the Sohal surname dates back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various historical documents and manuscripts from the Mughal Empire. During this period, the name was often spelled as "Sohail" or "Sohel," reflecting the phonetic variations common in the region.

One notable historical reference to the Sohal name can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century document written during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This comprehensive work recorded the administrative and fiscal details of Akbar's empire and included several individuals bearing the Sohal surname.

In the 18th century, the Sohal surname gained prominence in the Sikh Empire, which ruled over the Punjab region. Several Sikh warriors and military leaders carried this name, including Sardar Jassa Singh Sohal (1718-1805), who played a significant role in the expansion and consolidation of the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Another notable figure from this period was Bhai Taru Singh Sohal (1720-1745), a Sikh religious scholar and martyr who sacrificed his life for his beliefs during the persecution of Sikhs by the Mughal rulers.

During the British Raj in India, the Sohal surname continued to be prevalent among Punjabi communities. One prominent individual was Sir Chhotu Ram Sohal (1881-1945), a distinguished politician and social reformer who advocated for the rights of peasants and worked towards the upliftment of rural communities in the Punjab region.

In more recent times, the Sohal name has been associated with several accomplished individuals across various fields. This includes Inderjit Singh Sohal (1924-2006), a renowned Sikh theologian and author who made significant contributions to the study of Sikhism and its scriptures.

It is important to note that the Sohal surname has also been subject to variations and spellings over time, with forms such as "Sohail," "Sohel," and "Sohayl" being used interchangeably in different regions and contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sohal

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sohal, 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!