Find out how popular the last name Chair is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Chair.

Chair, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Chair surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chair in America

Chair is the 123796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chair surname appeared 139 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Chair.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chair to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Chair

The surname "CHAIR" is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "cier" or "cyre," meaning a turn or a bend, which could have referred to a person living near a winding road or river. Some historical records also suggest that the name may have been an occupational surname for a maker or seller of chairs, although this is less certain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mention a person named Richard le Chayer. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also list a John le Chayere, indicating the surname was present in different regions of England during that time.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Chayer, Chayr, and Chaire, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. The Paston Letters from the late 1400s mention a John Chayir, who was a servant in the household of Sir John Fastolf.

One notable figure with the surname was Sir Thomas Chair (c. 1518-1568), a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Drapers and was involved in the expansion of English trade with the Netherlands and other European countries.

Another person of historical significance was John Chair (c. 1570-1639), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1629 to 1632. He was known for his theological writings and his efforts to promote education in the university.

In the 17th century, the surname gained recognition through the work of Henry Chair (1616-1680), a renowned English theologian and writer who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He was a prominent figure in the Church of England and authored several influential works on religious matters.

A more recent notable individual with the surname was Sir Dudley Chair (1764-1841), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several voyages of discovery in the Pacific Ocean. He served as the Governor of Newfoundland from 1825 to 1834 and made significant contributions to the mapping and exploration of the region.

Throughout history, the surname "CHAIR" has been found in various parts of England, including Cambridgeshire, Worcestershire, and London, where it has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from merchants and scholars to clergymen and naval officers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chair

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Chair.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Chair was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Chair has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Chair was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Chair, please contact us.

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