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

Zandi, 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 Zandi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zandi in America

Zandi is the 40800th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zandi surname appeared 535 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 Zandi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zandi 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 Zandi

Zandi as a surname is primarily of Persian origin, tracing its roots back to ancient Persia, present-day Iran. The name Zandi is believed to have originated during the Zand dynasty, which ruled parts of Iran in the late 18th century. The Zand dynasty was founded by Karim Khan Zand, whose reign from 1751 to 1779 marked a peaceful and prosperous period in Iranian history. The surname Zandi thus holds significant historical weight, often indicating a connection to the Zand lineage or those who were loyal to this dynasty.

The name Zandi is derived from the Persian word "Zand," which means "interpreter" of religious texts, specifically referring to those who interpreted the Avesta, the sacred Zoroastrian scriptures. The specific suffix "i" in Zandi denotes affiliation or belonging, indicating that the name likely originally referred to someone associated with the Zand dynasty or the lands they ruled.

Zandi appears in various historical records and Persian manuscripts, often as a descriptor for those affiliated with the Zand rulership. The first prominent individual with this surname was Karim Khan Zand, the founder of the Zand dynasty, born in 1705 and deceased in 1779. Another historical figure is Sadeq Khan Zand, who played a crucial role during the latter years of the Zand dynasty's rule and was born in 1760, dying around 1789.

Mirza Esmail Zandi, a 19th-century poet and scholar, contributed significantly to Persian literature. Born in 1845 and passing away in 1910, his works were crucial in preserving Persian cultural heritage during the Qajar dynasty. Another notable individual is Mohammad Ali Zandi, an early 20th-century political figure born in 1872 and deceased in 1954, who was involved in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran which sought to reform and modernize the monarchy.

More modern yet still historical figures include Hossein Zandi, born in 1915 and dying in 1988, who was a renowned artist whose works are preserved in several Iranian museums. Lastly, Shiva Zandi, a mid-20th-century academic born in 1935 and passing away in 2000, made significant contributions to the study of Persian history and literature, ensuring that the historical and cultural contexts of names like Zandi were well documented for future generations.

The surname Zandi not only carries with it a rich historical background tied to a pivotal Iranian dynasty but also reflects the cultural and scholarly achievements of those who bore it. Its etymological roots and historical significance make it an important surname within Persian history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zandi

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

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

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

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