Wadhwani last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wadhwani

A surname of Indian origin meaning "relating to a forest".

Wadhwani, 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 Wadhwani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wadhwani in America

Wadhwani is the 41728th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wadhwani surname appeared 521 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 Wadhwani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wadhwani 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 41728 56687 -30.40%
Count 521 337 42.89%
Proportion per 100k 0.18 0.12 40.00%

The history of the last name Wadhwani

The surname Wadhwani has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Vadhavana," which means "one who performs sacrifices" or "a priest." This connection to religious rituals and ceremonies suggests that the name was likely carried by members of the Brahmin caste, who traditionally held priestly roles.

In ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, the name Wadhwani is mentioned in various contexts, often associated with religious ceremonies and traditions. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient manuscripts and records dating back to the 5th century CE.

During the medieval period, the Wadhwani name gained prominence in various regions of northern India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. Several notable figures with the Wadhwani surname emerged during this time, including Pandit Rameshwar Wadhwani, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 12th century.

In the 16th century, the Wadhwani name appeared in historical records related to the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent. One notable figure from this era was Raja Gopal Wadhwani, a wealthy landowner and patron of the arts who lived during the reign of Akbar the Great.

As the centuries passed, the Wadhwani name continued to be associated with scholarly pursuits and religious traditions. In the 18th century, Shri Raghunath Wadhwani was a prominent Hindu reformer and spiritual leader who advocated for social and religious reforms.

Another notable figure was Pandit Krishnadas Wadhwani, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 19th century. His works on Hindu philosophy and literature are still widely studied and celebrated today.

In more recent times, the Wadhwani name has been carried by individuals from various professions and backgrounds. One prominent example is Romesh Wadhwani, an Indian-American billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded several successful technology companies in the late 20th century.

Overall, the surname Wadhwani has a rich and diverse history, reflecting the cultural and religious traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Its connection to priestly roles and scholarly pursuits has endured over the centuries, with numerous notable figures bearing this name and contributing to various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wadhwani

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

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 Wadhwani was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 7.10% 37
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 84.26% 439
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.37% 28
Hispanic Origin 2.69% 14

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 Wadhwani has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 7.10% 5.64% 22.92%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 84.26% 82.20% 2.48%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 5.37% 8.31% -42.98%
Hispanic 2.69% 2.08% 25.58%

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

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

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"Wadhwani last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 21, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wadhwani-surname-popularity/.

"Wadhwani last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wadhwani-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 November, 2024

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

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