Sandhu
A South Asian surname, most often associated with Punjabi Sikh and Jat communities, with a name that likely began as a clan or lineage identifier.
The #4,900 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,941 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sandhu is best understood as a South Asian clan or lineage name rather than a surname built from a common noun. It is especially associated with Punjabi-speaking communities, including Sikh and Jat groups, and in that setting functions as a hereditary family identifier. The exact older linguistic root is not securely established in standard reference works, so the name is usually treated as a traditional clan name of regional origin rather than as a transparently meaning-based word.
History
The surname is well known in Punjab and among Punjabi diaspora communities worldwide, especially in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and East Africa. In many families it reflects inherited clan identity rather than a recent occupational or descriptive nickname. As with many South Asian surnames, its modern use was strengthened by migration and by the need for fixed surnames in colonial and postcolonial record systems.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In modern diaspora records, Sandhu is often one of the surnames that most strongly signals Punjabi heritage, even when first names vary widely across religions and countries.