2000
#12,716
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,230
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Chaput
A French occupational surname referring to a person who makes or sells hats or caps.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,559 Americans carry the last name Chaput. That puts it at #13,137 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 133,941 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chaput 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
2.6K
1 in 133,941
Census rank
#13,137
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,232 bearers of the surname Chaput in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13137th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaput, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chaput
The surname Chaput has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "chapel," meaning "hat" or "hood," which itself comes from the Late Latin word "cappellus." In its earliest form, the name referred to someone who made or sold hats or hoods.
The name Chaput is believed to have first appeared in the historical records of Normandy, a region in northern France, during the 11th century. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Among the notable historical figures bearing the Chaput surname, one can mention Guillaume Chaput, a French nobleman who fought alongside King Philip II during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century. Another prominent individual was Jean Chaput, a renowned architect from the 15th century who was responsible for designing several churches and monasteries in the Normandy region.
During the 16th century, the Chaput family gained prominence in the French city of Rouen, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One of the most notable members was Nicolas Chaput, a successful merchant and shipping magnate who lived between 1534 and 1612.
In the 17th century, the Chaput name spread to other parts of France, including the region of Brittany. One of the most famous individuals from this period was Pierre Chaput, a Catholic priest and scholar who lived from 1638 to 1701. He was known for his extensive writings on theology and philosophy.
As the name Chaput spread across France and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Chapput, Chapeau, and Chappeau. These variations often reflected regional dialects or differences in pronunciation.
While the surname Chaput has its roots in France, it has since been adopted by families in various parts of the world, including Canada, the United States, and other countries with French colonial heritage. However, this report focuses solely on the historical origins and evolution of the surname Chaput within the French context.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chaput
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaput, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Chaput 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 Chaput surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.4% · 2,040
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 79
- Two or more races3.4% · 76
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 24
- Black or African American0.5% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chaput
Chaput 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
#13,283
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,296
+66 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Down 567 places
2020
#13,137
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,232
-64 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Up 146 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,716 | 2,230 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,283 | 2,296 | 0.78 | +66 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 567 places |
| 2020 | #13,137 | 2,232 | 0.75 | -64 bearers (-2.8%) | Up 146 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 Chaput 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 | #13,283 | #13,137 | 1.1% |
| Count | 2,296 | 2,232 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.78 | 0.75 | -4.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chaput bearers went from 2,296 to 2,232 (-2.8% change). The surname moved up 146 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,283 to #13,137.
FAQ
Chaput surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chaput?
Name Census estimates that about 2,559 living Americans carry the surname Chaput. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 133,941 residents.
How common is Chaput?
Chaput ranks #13,137 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,232 people with the surname Chaput. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,559), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.75 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Chaput.
Has Chaput become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chaput went from 2,296 recorded bearers to 2,232. That is a decrease of 64 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,283 to #13,137.
What does the Census say about the background of Chaput?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chaput, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chaput in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (2,040 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chaput appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.4%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Chaput (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 Chaput mean?
A French occupational surname referring to a person who makes or sells hats or caps. 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 Chaput (0.75 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 many people are called Chaput?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Chaput on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.