Explore the Family Name Joshi

The meaning of Joshi

Indian: Brahmin occupational name, from Hindi joshi ‘astrologer’, Sanskrit jyotiṣī. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Ramesh, Vijay, Arun, Anil, Bharat, Prakash, Mahesh, Sanjay, Kirit, Rakesh, Satish, Arvind.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Joshi in the United States?

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Joshi" has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Joshi was ranked as the 5,781st most popular surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 3,542nd spot, marking a change of approximately 38.73%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew notably during this period, increasing 84.17% from 5,478 in 2000 to 10,089 in 2010. This surge is reflected in the proportion per 100,000 people, which rose by 68.47% from 2.03 to 3.42.

20002010Change
Rank#5,781#3,54238.73%
Count5,47810,08984.17%
Proportion per 100k2.033.4268.47%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Joshi

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Joshi identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group saw an increase of 5.29%, growing from 88.63% in 2000 to 93.32% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races decreased by 58.38%, and the percentage of white individuals fell by 27.51%. Additionally, there was a slight decrease among Hispanics and Blacks by 15.15% and 31.58% respectively. However, the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a slight increase of 20%.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander88.63%93.32%5.29%
White4.58%3.32%-27.51%
Two or More Races5.55%2.31%-58.38%
Hispanic0.66%0.56%-15.15%
Black0.38%0.26%-31.58%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.2%0.24%20%

Joshi 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 Joshi is Northern Indian & Pakistani, which comprises 56.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Southern Indian Subgroup (27.3%) and Bengali & Northeast Indian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, French & German, Gujarati Patidar, and Central Asian.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Northern Indian & Pakistani56.1%
Southern Indian Subgroup27.3%
Bengali & Northeast Indian4.5%
Other12.1%
Joshi

Possible origins of the surname Joshi

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 Joshi have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in India, and Pakistan.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Gujarat, India17.30%
Maharashtra, India16.00%
Karnataka, India12.60%
Punjab, Pakistan11.70%
Kerala, India10.40%

What Joshi 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 Joshi is R-Y7, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y7 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-Y6 and R-M417, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Sharma, Singh, Mehta, Das, Kumar, Qureshi, Malik, Prasad, Arora, Shah.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Joshi surname are: M5a2a1, H, M30. These most commonly trace back to individuals of Central & South Asian and European ancestry.

joshiPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420

Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent

While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Joshi 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

Joshi

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Joshi" Surname 48.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Joshi

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Joshi" Surname 37.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Joshi

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Joshi" Surname 13.5%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Joshi

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Joshi" Surname 7.9%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Joshi?

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 Joshi are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Northern Indian & Pakistani 52.7%

23andMe Users 57.2%