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

Chamba, 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 Chamba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chamba in America

Chamba is the 80131st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chamba surname appeared 237 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 Chamba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chamba 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 Chamba

The surname Chamba has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the Chamba region located in the western Himalayas. This region was once ruled by the Chamba Kingdom, a princely state that existed from the 6th century until its accession to India in 1947. The name Chamba is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Champa,' which means a type of flower or tree.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Chamba can be traced back to the 9th century CE, when it was mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts and inscriptions found in the Chamba region. These texts often referred to the royal family members and nobles who belonged to the Chamba Kingdom.

In the 16th century, the Chamba region came under the influence of the Mughal Empire, and the surname Chamba gained recognition among the Muslim population as well. During this time, the name appeared in various Mughal court records and official documents.

One of the notable historical figures with the surname Chamba was Raja Dhruva Dev, who ruled the Chamba Kingdom from 1559 to 1604. He is credited with the construction of several temples and forts in the region, including the famous Chamba Fort.

Another famous person with the surname Chamba was Pandit Shankar Chamba, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century. He authored several works on Hindu philosophy and literature, and his writings were widely studied in the region.

In the 19th century, the Chamba region came under the control of the British Raj, and the surname Chamba became more widespread. During this period, several individuals with the surname Chamba held important positions in the administration and military.

One such figure was Sir Narayan Singh Chamba, who served as the Prime Minister of the Chamba Kingdom from 1883 to 1904. He played a crucial role in modernizing the state and establishing educational institutions.

Another notable person with the surname Chamba was Sardar Bahadur Raja Jagat Singh Chamba, who served as the last ruling Raja of Chamba before the state's accession to India. He was born in 1891 and played a significant role in the integration of Chamba with the Indian Union.

The surname Chamba has also been associated with various place names in the region, such as Chamba Town, Chamba District, and the Chamba Valley. These names reflect the historical significance and cultural impact of the Chamba Kingdom on the surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chamba

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

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

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

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