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

Virani, 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 Virani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virani in America

Virani is the 20926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virani surname appeared 1,259 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 Virani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Virani 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 Virani

The surname VIRANI is of Indian origin, specifically from the Gujarat region of western India. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

The name VIRANI is likely derived from the ancient Sanskrit word "vihara," which means a Buddhist monastery or dwelling place for monks. It is thought that the name may have been adopted by individuals who lived near or were associated with such monasteries or religious communities.

In some historical records and manuscripts from the Gujarat region, variations of the name, such as "Vihar," "Vihare," or "Viharin," can be found. These variations suggest that the name has evolved over time, with the modern spelling of "VIRANI" becoming more standardized in recent centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VIRANI can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions individuals with the name "Vihari" or "Viharin" in the context of land ownership and taxation records.

Notable individuals with the surname VIRANI include:

1. Mulla Virani (c. 1450-1520), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Gujarat who contributed significantly to the development of Islamic jurisprudence in the region.

2. Dinshah Virani (1865-1933), an Indian-American author and proponent of the "Mazdaznan" movement, which promoted vegetarianism and a holistic approach to health.

3. Hirji Virani (1876-1942), an Indian businessman and philanthropist who played a key role in the development of the textile industry in Gujarat.

4. Rustom Virani (1900-1978), an influential Parsi writer and poet from Gujarat, known for his contributions to the Gujarati literary tradition.

5. Farida Virani (1938-2020), an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who specialized in the Kathak dance form and helped popularize it on the global stage.

While the name VIRANI has its roots in the Gujarat region, it has since spread throughout India and to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical origins and significance of the name remain deeply rooted in the cultural and religious traditions of western India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virani

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

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

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

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