Tulsi last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Tulsi

An Indian surname derived from the Hindi word for holy basil.

Tulsi, 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 Tulsi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tulsi in America

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

The Tulsi 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 Tulsi.

The history of the last name Tulsi

The surname TULSI has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the Sanskrit language. The word "Tulsi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Tulasi," which refers to the holy basil plant revered in Hinduism. This plant holds immense religious and cultural significance in India.

TULSI as a surname can be traced back to ancient times when it was likely adopted by individuals or families associated with the cultivation, trading, or religious significance of the Tulsi plant. The name may have been used to denote a connection with the plant or as a mark of respect for its sanctity.

In ancient Indian texts and manuscripts, there are references to individuals bearing the name TULSI, although specific records are scarce due to the antiquity of the name. However, it is believed that the name has been in existence for centuries, as the Tulsi plant has been revered in Indian culture for millennia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname TULSI can be found in the historical text "Ain-i-Akbari," written in the 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions a noble individual named Tulsi Das, who was a revered Hindu saint and poet known for his retelling of the Ramayana.

Another notable figure with the surname TULSI was Tulsi Ramchand Vakankar, a prominent social reformer and educationist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He played a crucial role in establishing educational institutions and advocating for the rights of the underprivileged in India.

In more recent times, the TULSI surname has been carried by several notable personalities, such as Tulsi Gabbard, an American politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives, and Tulsi Shrinivasan, an Indian classical dancer and choreographer.

While the surname TULSI has its roots in India, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the name continues to hold a deep connection to its Sanskrit origins and the revered Tulsi plant in Indian culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tulsi

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

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 Tulsi was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 12.50% 13
Non-Hispanic Black Only 25.96% 27
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 52.88% 55
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.77% 6
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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

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

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"Tulsi last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on February 6, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/tulsi-surname-popularity/.

"Tulsi last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/tulsi-surname-popularity/. Accessed 6 February, 2025

Tulsi last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/tulsi-surname-popularity/.

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