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

Thanawala, 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 Thanawala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thanawala in America

Thanawala is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thanawala surname appeared 104 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 Thanawala.

The history of the last name Thanawala

The surname "THANAWALA" is believed to have originated in India during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "thana," which means "place" or "locality," combined with the suffix "-wala," which is used to indicate a person's occupation or origin. Thus, the name "THANAWALA" likely referred to someone who was from a particular place or locality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "THANAWALA" can be found in the chronicles of the Maratha Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent during the 17th and 18th centuries. These chronicles mention a prominent military commander named Malhar Rao Thanawala, who served under the Maratha ruler Shivaji Maharaj in the late 17th century.

Another notable figure with the surname "THANAWALA" was Keshav Rao Thanawala, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in the city of Surat during the 18th century. Surat was a major trading port during this time, and Keshav Rao Thanawala was known for his extensive trading networks spanning across the Indian Ocean region.

In the 19th century, the surname "THANAWALA" can be found in various historical records and documents from the British Raj period. For instance, the Indian Civil Service records from the 1850s mention a civil servant named Gopal Rao Thanawala, who served in the administration of the Bombay Presidency.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname "THANAWALA" was Narayanrao Thanawala, a prominent social reformer and educator who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Narayanrao Thanawala was a strong advocate for women's education and played a pivotal role in establishing several schools and educational institutions in the state of Maharashtra.

Another notable figure with the surname "THANAWALA" was Baburao Thanawala, a renowned poet and writer who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Baburao Thanawala's literary works, which were written in the Marathi language, explored themes of social justice, traditional values, and the changing landscape of Indian society during the British colonial period.

While the surname "THANAWALA" has its roots in India, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the medieval and early modern periods in India, where it was likely associated with specific localities or places of origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thanawala

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

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 Thanawala 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.

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

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

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