Explore the Family Name Gandhi
The meaning of Gandhi
Indian (Gujarat, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Punjab): Bania, Vania, Arora, Jat, Jain, Parsi, and Sikh occupational name meaning ‘perfume seller’ in modern Indic languages, from Sanskrit gāndhika, from gandha ‘perfume’. In Gujarati the word also means ‘grocer’ or ‘pharmacist’. This name is found chiefly in Gujarat among Vanias and Parsis. It is also found among the Oswal Banias of Rajasthan and among the Aroras and the Jats of the Punjab. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Rajesh, Ashok, Ramesh, Pravin, Bharat, Dilip, Sanjay, Dinesh, Suresh, Anil, Mukesh, Rajendra.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gandhi in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Gandhi has seen an increase in its popularity in the United States from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Gandhi ranked as the 7,292nd most popular surname, while by 2010, it had risen to the 5,199th position, marking a change of 28.7%. The count of individuals with the surname also increased from 4,215 in 2000 to 6,721 in 2010, indicating a significant growth rate of 59.45%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Gandhi per 100,000 people rose by 46.15% during the same decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,292 | #5,199 | 28.7% |
| Count | 4,215 | 6,721 | 59.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.56 | 2.28 | 46.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gandhi
The data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Gandhi between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals who bear this surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, with this group increasing from 91.74% in 2000 to 94.97% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races decreased significantly by 62.74%, and the proportion of individuals with the surname who are White also declined slightly by 8.13%. The census noted a decrease of 37.63% in Hispanics bearing the surname. Interestingly, the surname saw an increase among Black individuals by 129.41%, though they still make up a small fraction. The proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Natives remained consistent across both census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 91.74% | 94.97% | 3.52% |
| White | 2.09% | 1.92% | -8.13% |
| Two or More Races | 4.67% | 1.74% | -62.74% |
| Hispanic | 0.93% | 0.58% | -37.63% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0% |
| Black | 0.17% | 0.39% | 129.41% |
Gandhi ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gandhi is Northern Indian & Pakistani, which comprises 78.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Southern Indian & Sri Lankan (6.5%) and British & Irish (4.2%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Gujarati Patidar, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, Italian, and Southern Indian Subgroup.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Northern Indian & Pakistani | 78.1% |
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 6.5% |
| British & Irish | 4.2% |
| Other | 11.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Gandhi
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gandhi have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in India, and Pakistan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra, India | 33.60% |
| Gujarat, India | 33.60% |
| Punjab, Pakistan | 21.20% |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | 18.60% |
| Sindh, Pakistan | 18.60% |
What Gandhi haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gandhi is R-L266, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-L266 is descended from haplogroup R-M479. Other common haplogroups include H-M52 and J-M241, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Zaman, Srivastava, Kumar, Shah, Das, Prasad, Sharma, Mehta, Parikh, Sinha.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gandhi surname are: M, H, M5a. These most commonly trace back to individuals of Central & South Asian and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M479
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Romani people
The Roma, who are also called "Gypsies" and "Romanies," are an ethnic group that originated in India and migrated to Europe 1,000 years ago. There are several different Roma populations, including Vlach Roma, who speak Hungarian and Romani languages, and Carpathian Roma, who speak exclusively Hungarian. Today, Roma populations mostly live in Southeastern and Central Europe, and make up about 7% of the total population in Hungary. Haplogroup R2a is also present in a Kuwaiti Bedouin population called the Awazim. It is possible that haplogroup R2a was brought into the Awazim population during the migration of the Roma people from India to Europe 1,000 years ago.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gandhi have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gandhi" Surname 44.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Gandhi" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gandhi" Surname 22.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gandhi" Surname 9.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gandhi?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gandhi are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition