2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chanza
A habitational surname derived from a place in Piedmont, Italy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Chanza. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chanza surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Chanza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chanza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 80.2%. The next largest groups are White (9.9%) and Black (9.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chanza
The surname CHANZA has its origins in Italy, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "chanza," which means "chance" or "fortune," suggesting that the name may have been adopted by someone who experienced a significant stroke of luck or a fortunate turn of events in their life.
The name CHANZA was initially concentrated in the northern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Venice and Milan. Historical records indicate that it first appeared in the city of Padua in 1428, when a merchant named Giacomo CHANZA is mentioned in a trade document.
One of the earliest notable individuals bearing this surname was Bartolomeo CHANZA, a renowned painter from Verona who lived from 1470 to 1536. His works, which included religious frescoes and portraits, can still be found in various churches and galleries throughout northern Italy.
In the 16th century, the CHANZA family gained prominence in the city of Genoa, where they were involved in maritime trade and banking. One of the most influential members of this branch was Niccolò CHANZA (1523-1591), a successful merchant and financier who played a crucial role in the economic development of the city.
Another notable figure with this surname was Francesco CHANZA (1612-1677), a Jesuit priest and scholar from Milan. He was renowned for his extensive knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin literature, and his works on philosophy and theology were widely studied in academic circles throughout Europe.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the CHANZA name spread to other parts of Italy, including the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. One prominent individual from this period was Girolamo CHANZA (1718-1795), a respected jurist and legal scholar from Florence who played a significant role in the reform of the Tuscan legal system.
In more recent times, the CHANZA surname has been associated with several accomplished individuals. For example, Enrico CHANZA (1884-1965) was a celebrated Italian sculptor whose works can be found in numerous public spaces and museums throughout Italy.
While the surname CHANZA is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Italy's rich cultural heritage, reflecting the country's diverse history and the contributions of individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chanza
Among Census respondents with the surname Chanza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 80.2%. The next largest groups are White (9.9%) and Black (9.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Chanza bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Chanza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino80.2% · 97
- White9.9% · 12
- Black or African American9.1% · 11
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chanza
Chanza appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,544 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+12 bearers (+11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,143 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 5,544 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.0%) | Up 9,143 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Chanza surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #141,309 | 6.1% |
| Count | 109 | 121 | 11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chanza bearers went from 109 to 121 (+11.0% change). The surname moved up 9,143 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #141,309.
FAQ
Chanza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chanza?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Chanza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Chanza?
Chanza ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Chanza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Chanza.
Has Chanza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chanza went from 109 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 12 (+11.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Chanza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chanza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 80.2%. The next largest groups are White (9.9%) and Black (9.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chanza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chanza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (80.2%), White (9.9%), Black (9.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Chanza (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Chanza mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place in Piedmont, Italy. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Chanza (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Chanza?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Chanza, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.