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

Chandel, 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 Chandel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chandel in America

Chandel is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chandel surname appeared 144 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 Chandel.

The history of the last name Chandel

The surname Chandel has its origins in India, specifically in the northern region of Uttar Pradesh and surrounding areas. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries.

The name Chandel is derived from the Sanskrit word "Chandra," which means "moon." This suggests that the name may have been associated with Hindu ruling clans or dynasties that claimed descent from celestial or divine lineages, a common practice in ancient India.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Chandel name can be found in ancient inscriptions and manuscripts describing the Chandel dynasty, a powerful ruling family that governed parts of central and northern India from the 9th to the 13th centuries. The Chandel rulers were patrons of art and architecture, and their reign is marked by the construction of exquisite Hindu temples, such as the Khajuraho group of monuments, which are now designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The earliest known bearer of the Chandel surname was Raja Yasovarman, who ruled the Chandel kingdom in the early 10th century. He is credited with the construction of the famous Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho, one of the finest examples of medieval Indian temple architecture.

Another notable figure with the Chandel surname was Dhanga Chandel, a 13th-century warrior and chieftain who fought against the invading Muslim forces during the Delhi Sultanate period. His resistance against the Sultanate forces is documented in various historical accounts and folk tales.

In the 16th century, the Chandel surname is also associated with the Bundela clan, a powerful Rajput dynasty that ruled over parts of Bundelkhand in central India. One prominent member of this clan was Maharaja Chhatrasal Bundela Chandel, who ruled from 1649 to 1731 and was known for his military campaigns against the Mughal Empire.

Throughout history, the Chandel surname has been carried by several other notable figures, including the 19th-century poet and scholar Lala Shyamlal Chandel, who played a significant role in the revival of Hindi literature, and Hari Singh Chandel, a prominent Indian politician and social activist in the early 20th century.

While the Chandel name has its roots in the northern regions of India, over time, it has spread to other parts of the subcontinent and even to other countries due to migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chandel

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

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 Chandel 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.

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

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

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