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

Wadia, 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 Wadia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wadia in America

Wadia is the 102688th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wadia surname appeared 175 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 Wadia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wadia 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 Wadia

The surname WADIA is believed to have originated in India. It is a Parsi name, derived from the Persian word "wadi" meaning valley or meadow. The name likely referred to a person who resided in or came from a valley or meadow area.

The Parsis are an ethnic group descended from Persians who migrated to India around the 8th century AD to escape religious persecution. They settled primarily in the western regions of India, including Gujarat and Maharashtra. The earliest recorded instances of the WADIA surname can be traced back to these areas.

One of the earliest known references to the WADIA name appears in a 16th century manuscript documenting land ownership records in the city of Surat, Gujarat. The manuscript mentions a family with the surname WADIA as landowners in the region.

A notable figure from history bearing the WADIA surname is Ardeshir Wadia (1808-1858), a prominent Parsi businessman and philanthropist. He established the first Indian-owned textile mill in Bombay (now Mumbai) in the mid-19th century, laying the foundation for the city's thriving textile industry.

Another significant individual was Ratan Wadia (1880-1960), a leading industrialist and one of the founders of the Wadia Group, a prominent Indian business conglomerate. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Indian shipping industry and served as the president of the Indian Merchants' Chamber.

Sir Nusserwanji Wadia (1825-1912) was a prominent Parsi businessman and philanthropist. He was instrumental in establishing the Wadia family's business interests in the shipping and textile industries and made significant contributions to various educational and charitable causes.

Jinnah Wadia (1901-1971) was a renowned Indian actress and dancer of the early 20th century. She was a pioneer of Indian classical dance and helped popularize traditional forms like Kathak on the Indian stage.

Ness Wadia (born 1970) is a prominent Indian businessman and heir to the Wadia Group. He has served as the managing director of the group's flagship company, Bombay Dyeing, and has been involved in various other business ventures.

While the WADIA surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the valleys and meadows of India's western regions, where the Parsi community first settled centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wadia

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

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

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

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