2010
#100,302
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 180
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Chaganti
A Telugu surname possibly derived from "chaganu" meaning "to watch over" or "to protect".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 403 Americans carry the last name Chaganti. That puts it at #61,734 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 850,507 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chaganti 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
403
1 in 850,507
Census rank
#61,734
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
351
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 351 bearers of the surname Chaganti in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 61734th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaganti, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chaganti
The surname Chaganti has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name Chaganti is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chagantu," which means "fragrant" or "aromatic."
Historically, the Chaganti surname was predominantly found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which were once part of the larger Andhra region. It is believed that the name was initially associated with individuals who were involved in the cultivation or trade of spices and aromatic plants, which were highly valued commodities during that era.
One of the earliest documented references to the Chaganti surname can be found in ancient inscriptions and manuscripts dating back to the 14th century. These records often mentioned individuals with this surname as landowners, merchants, or officials within the various kingdoms and principalities that existed in the region at that time.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bearing the Chaganti surname emerged. One such person was Chaganti Venkanna, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century and was patronized by the Vijayanagar Empire. Another prominent figure was Chaganti Ramadas, a 17th-century poet and playwright whose works were influential in the development of Telugu literature.
In the 18th century, the Chaganti family gained prominence in the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, one of the largest princely states in India during the British Raj. Chaganti Durgadas, born in 1725, served as a minister and advisor to the Nizam, playing a crucial role in the administration of the state.
As the centuries progressed, members of the Chaganti family continued to make significant contributions in various fields, including literature, arts, and public service. One notable figure was Chaganti Somayajulu, a 19th-century social reformer and educator who played a pivotal role in promoting education and women's rights in the region.
Overall, the Chaganti surname has a rich and diverse history, deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of southern India. While its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, the name has endured and continues to be associated with individuals from various walks of life, contributing to the rich tapestry of Indian society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chaganti
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaganti, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Chaganti 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 Chaganti surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.7% · 336
- Two or more races1.7% · 6
- Black or African American1.1% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 3
- White0.3% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chaganti
Chaganti appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#61,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 351
+171 bearers (+95.0%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 38,568 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #100,302 | 180 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #61,734 | 351 | 0.12 | +171 bearers (+95.0%) | Up 38,568 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 Chaganti 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 | #100,302 | #61,734 | 38.5% |
| Count | 180 | 351 | 95.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.12 | 95.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chaganti bearers went from 180 to 351 (+95.0% change). The surname moved up 38,568 positions in the national ranking, going from #100,302 to #61,734.
FAQ
Chaganti surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chaganti?
Name Census estimates that about 403 living Americans carry the surname Chaganti. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 850,507 residents.
How common is Chaganti?
Chaganti ranks #61,734 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 351 people with the surname Chaganti. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (403), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Chaganti.
Has Chaganti become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chaganti went from 180 recorded bearers to 351. That is an increase of 171 (+95.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #100,302 to #61,734.
What does the Census say about the background of Chaganti?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaganti, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (1.1%). 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 Chaganti in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (336 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chaganti appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.7%), Two or More Races (1.7%), Black (1.1%). 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 Chaganti (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 Chaganti mean?
A Telugu surname possibly derived from "chaganu" meaning "to watch over" or "to protect". 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 Chaganti (0.12 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 common is the surname Chaganti?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Chaganti at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.