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

Chalas, 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 Chalas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chalas in America

Chalas is the 51830th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chalas surname appeared 401 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 Chalas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chalas 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 Chalas

The surname CHALAS is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "chalat," which referred to a type of woolen cloth or blanket. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals involved in the textile trade or production.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CHALAS name can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a manuscript compiled in Paris between 1268 and 1300, which listed various professions and trades. The name Chalas appears in this document, further supporting the connection to the textile industry.

During the 13th century, the CHALAS name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Picardy in northern France. Historical records from this time period, such as tax rolls and parish registers, contain references to individuals bearing the CHALAS surname.

Notably, a Jehan Chalas was mentioned in the Livre des Bourgeois de Rouen, a register of citizens in the city of Rouen, Normandy, in the year 1292. This suggests that the CHALAS family had established a presence in the area by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the CHALAS name appeared in various French documents, including the Burgundian Chronicles, which recorded the exploits of the Dukes of Burgundy. A certain Guillaume Chalas was listed as a participant in the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396, where French and Burgundian forces fought against the Ottoman Empire.

As the centuries progressed, the CHALAS surname spread beyond France to other parts of Europe and eventually to other continents through migration and exploration. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Jean-Baptiste Chalas (1671-1761), a French Protestant merchant from Toulouse who was executed on charges of religious intolerance, sparking widespread outrage.
2. Étienne Chalas (1759-1834), a French military officer who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
3. Miguel Chalas (1891-1963), a Spanish-born Argentine painter known for his landscapes and portraits.
4. Suzanne Chalas (1919-2006), a French artist and painter who worked in a variety of mediums, including oil, pastel, and watercolor.
5. Jacques Chalas (1932-2011), a French architect and urban planner who worked on several notable projects in Paris and other cities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chalas

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

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

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

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