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

Chand, 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 Chand surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chand in America

Chand is the 11209th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chand surname appeared 2,820 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Chand.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chand 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 Chand

The surname CHAND has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, originating from the Sanskrit word "chandra" meaning "moon." It is believed to have emerged as a surname during the medieval period, particularly in the northern regions of India and present-day Pakistan.

The name CHAND is often associated with the lunar deity Chandra in Hindu mythology, suggesting that it may have been initially adopted as a surname by individuals or families with a connection to lunar worship or lunar astrology. Some scholars also link the name to the ancient Indo-Aryan tribes known as the Chandravamsha or "Lunar Dynasty."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CHAND can be found in the chronicles of the Delhi Sultanate, where a prominent military commander named Malik Chand served under the reign of Sultan Iltutmish in the 13th century. Another historical figure bearing this name was Chand Bardai, a 12th-century Punjabi poet renowned for his work "Prithviraj Raso," which chronicled the life of the legendary Chauhan ruler Prithviraj Chauhan.

In the 16th century, the CHAND surname gained further prominence with the rise of the Rajput warrior clan known as the Chandelas, who ruled over the region of Bundelkhand in central India. One of the most notable rulers from this dynasty was Raja Ramchandra Chand, who reigned from 1530 to 1568.

The surname CHAND has also been associated with several notable figures in more recent history. One such individual was Sir Shankar Chand Mukherjee (1837-1908), a prominent Indian lawyer and philanthropist who played a key role in the establishment of the University of Calcutta.

Another famous bearer of the CHAND surname was Vidya Chand Naidu (1866-1905), an Indian poet, and activist who was part of the Indian independence movement. She was also the first woman Governor of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) in British India.

In the realm of sports, Sunil Chand Gavaskar (born 1949) is a celebrated former Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He held numerous batting records during his illustrious career spanning from 1971 to 1987.

While the surname CHAND has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its historical roots and associations with lunar deities, warrior clans, and notable personalities remain deeply embedded in its legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chand

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

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

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

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