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

Chak, 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 Chak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chak in America

Chak is the 44356th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chak surname appeared 485 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 Chak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chak 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 Chak

The surname Chak is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Punjab. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word 'chakra,' which means 'wheel' or 'circle.' The name likely emerged during the medieval period, when surnames became more common.

Chak has its roots in the Punjab region, which spans parts of modern-day India and Pakistan. The name is particularly prevalent among the Punjabi community and is found in both Hindu and Sikh families. It may have originated as a nickname or occupational surname for those involved in wheel-making or related trades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chak can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The document mentions individuals with the name Chak who held administrative positions during the Mughal Empire.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Chak Gajjan Singh played a significant role in the Sikh Confederacy, a period of Sikh military and political dominance in the Punjab region. Gajjan Singh was a Sikh chieftain and commanded a powerful military force.

Another notable individual with the surname Chak was Dharma Chak, a renowned Punjabi poet who lived in the 18th century. His poetry, written in the Punjabi language, explored themes of spirituality and human emotions.

During the British colonial period in India, the Chak surname was also associated with several influential families and landowners in the Punjab region. For instance, the Chak family of Hazara, now in modern-day Pakistan, held significant landholdings and played a role in local governance.

In more recent history, Sadhu Chak was a prominent Indian freedom fighter and politician from Punjab. Born in 1874, he actively participated in the Indian independence movement and was a member of the Indian National Congress.

While the surname Chak has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. The name can be found among Punjabi communities in various countries, including Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chak

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

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 Chak 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 Chak 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 Chak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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