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

Chandy, 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 Chandy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chandy in America

Chandy is the 42511th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chandy surname appeared 510 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 Chandy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chandy 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 Chandy

The surname "CHANDY" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the southern state of Kerala. It is thought to be derived from the Malayalam word "chandran," which means "moon" or "bright."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the ancient Tamil literature, the Sangam literature, dating back to the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. In these texts, the name appears as "Chandran," referring to both individuals and places.

During the medieval period, the name "CHANDY" was prevalent among the Nair community of Kerala, who were known for their martial traditions and land ownership. Several prominent figures from this community bore the surname, including the renowned 16th-century scholar and poet, Unni Nair Chandy, who was also known as Unni Nair Chandy Melpathur.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in Portuguese records documenting the trade and cultural interactions between the Portuguese and the local population of Kerala. One notable individual from this period was Chandy Mappila, a prominent merchant and leader who played a significant role in the region's maritime trade.

As the British colonial presence in India grew stronger, the name "CHANDY" gained recognition in English records and documents. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Vaikom Chandy Velu Thampi, a notable political figure who lived from 1787 to 1828 and was instrumental in the fight against British rule in Travancore.

Another prominent figure with the surname "CHANDY" was Kuruvilla Chandy, a Christian missionary and educator who lived from 1823 to 1890. He played a crucial role in establishing educational institutions in Kerala and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern education in the region.

In more recent times, the name "CHANDY" has been associated with several influential individuals, such as Oommen Chandy, a former Chief Minister of Kerala, who served from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2016. Additionally, Sugandhi Chandy, an Indian actress and model, has gained recognition for her work in various television shows and films.

While the surname "CHANDY" has its roots in Kerala, it has since spread to other parts of India and across the globe, carried by individuals and families who have migrated or settled in different regions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chandy

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

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

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

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