2000
#4,258
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,698
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.85
Uncommon Last name
Cha
A Korean surname derived from a Sino-Korean word meaning "car" or "chariot," referring to the owner's occupation or status.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,752 Americans carry the last name Cha. That puts it at #3,410 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,166 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cha surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 29,166
Census rank
#3,410
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,248 bearers of the surname Cha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3410th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cha
The surname Cha has its origins in China, where it is a relatively common family name. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of the country during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The name is derived from the Chinese word "cha," which means "fork" or "branch," and it may have been used to describe someone who lived near a forked river or road.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cha can be found in the Tang Dynasty genealogical records known as the "Jiu Tangshu" (Old Book of Tang), which mentions a family with this surname. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the name Cha was also documented in the "Songshi" (History of Song), a historical text that chronicled the events and people of that era.
In the 13th century, the Mongolian leader Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) in China, and many people with the surname Cha are believed to have migrated to other parts of Asia during this period. For example, the Cha family has a long history in Korea, where they are known as "Cha-ssi."
One notable figure with the surname Cha was Cha Yi (1292-1366), a Korean scholar and poet who served as a high-ranking official during the Goryeo Dynasty. Another prominent individual was Cha Hak-yeon (1563-1644), a Korean Neo-Confucian scholar and writer who was known for his works on ethics and philosophy.
In more recent history, Cha Bum-kun (1953-2023) was a South Korean football player and manager who played for the national team and several clubs in Germany. He is considered one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time.
Another notable figure with the surname Cha is Cha In-pyo (1835-1906), a Korean calligrapher and painter who was renowned for his innovative techniques and his contributions to the development of Korean calligraphy.
Cha Tsu Kong (1882-1948) was a Chinese educator and politician who played a significant role in the establishment of modern educational systems in China. He served as the Minister of Education and was a prominent figure in the early years of the Republic of China.
While the surname Cha has its roots in China, it has spread to other parts of Asia and even to other continents through migration and cultural exchange. However, it remains a prominent family name in East Asian countries, particularly in China, Korea, and parts of Southeast Asia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cha
Among Census respondents with the surname Cha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Cha bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.7% · 9,495
- White2.3% · 236
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 234
- Two or more races2.2% · 223
- Black or African American0.6% · 57
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cha
Cha appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,654
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,732
+2,034 bearers (+26.4%)
Per 100,000 3.30
Rank movement Up 604 places
2020
#3,410
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,248
+516 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 3.43
Rank movement Up 244 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,258 | 7,698 | 2.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,654 | 9,732 | 3.30 | +2,034 bearers (+26.4%) | Up 604 places |
| 2020 | #3,410 | 10,248 | 3.43 | +516 bearers (+5.3%) | Up 244 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cha surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,654 | #3,410 | 6.7% |
| Count | 9,732 | 10,248 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 3.30 | 3.43 | 3.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cha bearers went from 9,732 to 10,248 (+5.3% change). The surname moved up 244 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,654 to #3,410.
FAQ
Cha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cha?
Name Census estimates that about 11,752 living Americans carry the surname Cha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,166 residents.
How common is Cha?
Cha ranks #3,410 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.43 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,248 people with the surname Cha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,752), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.43 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Cha.
Has Cha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cha went from 9,732 recorded bearers to 10,248. That is an increase of 516 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,654 to #3,410.
What does the Census say about the background of Cha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (9,495 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.7%), White (2.3%), Hispanic (2.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cha (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cha mean?
A Korean surname derived from a Sino-Korean word meaning "car" or "chariot," referring to the owner's occupation or status. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cha (3.43 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Cha?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.