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

Virji, 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 Virji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virji in America

Virji is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virji surname appeared 109 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 Virji.

The history of the last name Virji

The surname VIRJI originated in India, specifically in the western state of Gujarat. Its earliest known roots can be traced back to the 12th century CE. The name is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "virya," which means strength or vigor.

VIRJI is a variation of the more common Gujarati surname Virji, which was initially used by members of the Lohana community, a trading and mercantile caste. The Lohanas were known for their entrepreneurial spirit and played a significant role in the textile trade between Gujarat and other parts of India, as well as with regions in the Middle East.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the VIRJI surname can be found in the Nāvnāthī Granth, a 14th-century Gujarati literary work that chronicles the lives of the Nāth yogis. The text references a certain "Virji Sadhu," who is believed to have been a prominent figure in the Nāth tradition during that period.

In the 16th century, the VIRJI name appeared in the records of the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a vast territory in the Indian subcontinent. During this time, a wealthy merchant named Virji Vora was renowned for his successful trading ventures and philanthropic endeavors.

As the Lohana community expanded its reach across India and beyond, the VIRJI surname traveled with them. In the 18th century, a notable figure named Virji Vaidya gained fame as a skilled Ayurvedic physician in the court of the Maratha ruler, Shivaji.

Another prominent individual bearing the VIRJI surname was Virji Keshavji, a 19th-century businessman and philanthropist from Gujarat. He established several educational institutions and played a crucial role in the social and economic development of his community.

In more recent times, the name VIRJI has been associated with individuals from various fields, such as Virji Vora, a celebrated Indian classical singer who was born in 1938, and Virji Vashi, a prominent Gujarati writer and poet who lived from 1922 to 2003.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virji

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

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

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

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