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

Vala, 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 Vala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vala in America

Vala is the 46138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vala surname appeared 462 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 Vala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vala 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 Vala

The surname Vala has its origins in India, particularly in the northern regions such as Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, between the 8th and 12th centuries.

The name Vala is derived from the Sanskrit word "vala," which means "powerful" or "strong." It was likely used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who possessed strength or power, either physically or in terms of their status or position.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vala can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, where a character named Vala is mentioned as a powerful king. However, it is unclear whether this reference is directly related to the surname or if it merely indicates the existence of the word in ancient Indian literature.

In the 16th century, during the reign of the Mughal Empire, several historical records mention individuals with the surname Vala. For example, Malik Vala was a prominent landowner and military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

As time passed, the surname Vala spread across various regions of India, and its spelling variations emerged, such as Wala, Walla, and Valla. In the 18th century, a notable figure named Rai Vala Singh rose to prominence as a leader of the Sikh community in Punjab.

Another notable individual with the surname Vala was Pandit Shiv Narayan Vala, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 19th century. He was known for his contributions to the study of ancient Indian literature and philosophy.

In the 20th century, the name Vala gained international recognition with individuals like Vijay Singh Vala, an Indian cricketer who played for the national team in the 1970s and 1980s, and Jagat Vala, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Gujarat, India.

While the surname Vala has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain closely tied to the Indian subcontinent and its rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vala

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

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

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

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