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

Chana, 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 Chana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chana in America

Chana is the 61745th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chana surname appeared 325 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 Chana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chana 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 Chana

The surname "CHANA" has its origins in India and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "chana," which means chickpea or gram. This suggests that the name may have originated from an occupation or trade related to the cultivation or processing of chickpeas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "CHANA" can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar. It mentioned individuals with this surname living in various parts of the Mughal Empire, particularly in the region that is now modern-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in several regional records and manuscripts, including land ownership documents and village census records. These records often referred to individuals with the surname "CHANA" as landowners, farmers, or traders involved in the agricultural sector.

Among the notable individuals with the surname "CHANA" throughout history was Kashi Nath Chana (1838-1924), a prominent Indian businessman and philanthropist from Lahore, who played a significant role in the development of the city's infrastructure and educational institutions.

Another notable figure was Satya Vrat Chana (1888-1969), an Indian freedom fighter and politician who actively participated in the Indian independence movement and later served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

In the literary world, Gian Singh Chana (1907-1996) was a renowned Punjabi poet and writer whose works explored themes of social justice, patriotism, and the human condition.

Mehr Chand Chana (1911-1988) was a distinguished Indian civil servant who held various high-ranking positions in the Indian Administrative Service and was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honors in India, for his contributions.

More recently, Manmohan Singh Chana (born 1934) is a prominent Indian physicist and academic who has made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and has been recognized with several prestigious awards and honors.

While the surname "CHANA" is primarily associated with India, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be firmly traced back to the Indian subcontinent, where it has a rich historical significance and cultural connection.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chana

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

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

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

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