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

Tolani, 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 Tolani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tolani in America

Tolani is the 96368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tolani surname appeared 189 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 Tolani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tolani 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 Tolani

The surname Tolani has its origins in India, with records indicating its presence dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word "tolan" which means "weighing scale" or "balance." This suggests that the name may have been associated with the occupation of a weigher or a merchant dealing in trade and commerce.

The earliest known records of the Tolani surname can be found in historical documents from the western Indian state of Gujarat. During the medieval period, Gujarat was a thriving center of trade and commerce, with merchants and traders playing a significant role in the region's economy. It is likely that the Tolani name emerged in this context, either as a reference to an individual's occupation or as a surname adopted by a family involved in trade activities.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Tolani community gained prominence as successful merchants and traders, establishing themselves in various parts of India and beyond. One notable figure from this period was Govardhandas Tolani, a wealthy merchant from Surat, Gujarat, who lived in the late 17th century and was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting education and religious institutions.

As the Tolani community expanded, they carried their surname with them to other parts of the Indian subcontinent and even to regions outside India. In the 19th century, records show the presence of Tolani families in cities like Bombay (now Mumbai) and Calcutta (now Kolkata), where they continued to engage in trade and commerce.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tolani name can be found in a manuscript from the 16th century, which mentions a merchant named Amarchand Tolani who was involved in the spice trade between India and the Middle East. Another notable figure was Narottam Tolani, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Bombay, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was known for his contributions to education and social welfare.

Other individuals with the Tolani surname who have left their mark on history include Kanji Tolani, a freedom fighter and social reformer from Gujarat in the early 20th century, and Prithviraj Tolani, an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Tolani Education Society in the mid-20th century.

Overall, the Tolani surname has a rich history deeply rooted in India's mercantile and trading traditions, with its bearers playing significant roles in various aspects of society, from commerce and business to philanthropy and social reform.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tolani

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

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

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

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