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

Vaghani, 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 Vaghani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vaghani in America

Vaghani is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vaghani surname appeared 101 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 Vaghani.

The history of the last name Vaghani

The surname Vaghani originated in the Gujarat region of India. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word 'vaghari', which means 'one who wanders' or 'nomadic'. This suggests that the name may have been given to a group of people who led a nomadic lifestyle or traveled frequently.

The earliest known records of the name Vaghani can be traced back to the 16th century in the region of Saurashtra, Gujarat. During this time, the area was ruled by various dynasties, and the Vaghani community is believed to have played a significant role in trade and commerce.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vaghani can be found in the memoirs of Mughal Emperor Akbar, who mentions a trader named Vaghani who supplied goods to the royal court. This indicates that the Vaghani community had established itself as a prominent merchant class by the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Vaghani surname appears in various records related to land ownership and taxation in the Saurashtra region. This suggests that the community had acquired substantial wealth and influence during this period.

A notable figure with the surname Vaghani was Manilal Vaghani, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a prominent social reformer and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement, working alongside leaders like Mahatma Gandhi.

Another prominent Vaghani was Chandubhai Vaghani, a businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1885 to 1967. He established several educational institutions and charitable organizations in Gujarat, contributing greatly to the development of the region.

In the 20th century, the Vaghani surname gained further recognition with individuals like Jayantilal Vaghani, a renowned writer and poet who was born in 1924. His works focused on the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Gujarat.

Jitubhai Vaghani, born in 1928, was a prominent politician and social activist who served as a member of the Indian Parliament and worked towards the upliftment of marginalized communities.

Hargovind Vaghani, born in 1939, was a renowned classical vocalist and exponent of the Agra gharana, a prominent musical tradition. He was awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contributions to Indian classical music.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vaghani

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

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

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

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