Explore the Family Name Sani
The meaning of Sani
1. Italian: patronymic or plural form of Sano. 2. Muslim: from a personal name based on Arabic sanī ‘majestic, brilliant’. 3. Indian (Punjabi): Sikh name, possibly of the same origin as 2 above. It is also found among people coming originally from Sind in Pakistan. 4. West African (mainly Nigeria and Niger): Hausa name, from the personal name Sani of Arabic origin, used to distinguish the second of two or more sons in a family who have the Muslim name Muhammad. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Mohammed, Sham, Abdul, Amir, Mehdi, Mohamed, Mohsen, Mustapha, Nasser, Othman, Rashid, Usman. Indian Lal, Brahma, Sunil, Suresh. Italian Giovanni, Paolo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sani in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Sani" has seen a rise in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was the 51,809th most common surname, but by 2010, it had risen to become the 41,164th. This represents an increase of over 20.55 percent. The number of people with this surname also increased during this time, going from 377 in 2000 to 529 in 2010 — a growth of 40.32 percent. The proportion of people named Sani per 100k also increased, from 0.14 in 2000 to 0.18 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #51,809 | #41,164 | 20.55% |
| Count | 377 | 529 | 40.32% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.14 | 0.18 | 28.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sani
Looking at the ethnic identity of those with the surname "Sani", the Decennial U.S. Census data shows notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander grew from 20.42 percent to 28.92 percent, while those identifying as Black saw a significant jump from 12.47 percent to 22.68 percent. Conversely, the percentage identifying as White decreased from 49.34 percent to 38.94 percent, and those reporting two or more races dropped from 12.47 percent to 5.67 percent. Small percentages in 2010 identified as Hispanic (2.65 percent) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (1.13 percent), where no individuals identified as such in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 49.34% | 38.94% | -21.08% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 20.42% | 28.92% | 41.63% |
| Black | 12.47% | 22.68% | 81.88% |
| Two or More Races | 12.47% | 5.67% | -54.53% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.65% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 1.13% | 0% |