2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Chato
A Spanish surname derived from the words meaning "flat" or "flattened."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Chato. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chato 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Chato in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chato, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (20.6%) and White (15.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chato
The surname Chato has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "chato," which means "flat-nosed" or "snub-nosed." This nickname was likely given to someone with a distinctive facial feature and eventually became a hereditary surname.
During the Middle Ages, nicknames were commonly adopted as surnames, particularly those describing physical characteristics or occupations. The earliest recorded instance of the surname Chato can be found in the records of the Kingdom of Aragon, where a certain Juan Chato was mentioned in a document from 1287.
In the 14th century, the surname Chato appeared in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia and Castile. One notable individual bearing this name was Pedro Chato, a soldier who fought alongside King Alfonso XI during the Siege of Gibraltar in 1333.
As the Spanish empire expanded across the Atlantic, the surname Chato traveled with the conquistadors and settlers to the Americas. In the 16th century, a prominent figure was Hernán Chato, a navigator and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico.
In the 17th century, the Chato surname gained prominence in the region of Extremadura, where a wealthy landowner named Juan Chato owned vast estates and vineyards. His descendants continued to carry the name for generations.
Another notable figure was Alonso Chato, a Franciscan friar who lived in the late 17th century. He was known for his missionary work among the indigenous populations of New Spain (present-day Mexico) and his efforts to preserve their languages and cultural traditions.
During the 18th century, the Chato surname was found in various parts of the Spanish colonial empire, including the Philippines and the Caribbean. One noteworthy individual was Diego Chato, a Cuban-born military officer who fought against the British during the American Revolutionary War.
In the 19th century, the Chato surname spread further as Spanish immigrants settled in different parts of the world, including Latin America and the United States. One prominent figure was José Chato, a Mexican general who played a significant role in the Mexican-American War.
Throughout history, the surname Chato has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, explorers, landowners, missionaries, and military officers. While its origins may have stemmed from a physical characteristic, the name has endured and become part of the rich tapestry of Spanish and Hispanic culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chato
Among Census respondents with the surname Chato, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (20.6%) and White (15.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Chato 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 Chato surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native50.0% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander20.6% · 21
- White15.7% · 16
- Black or African American7.8% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 5
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chato
Chato appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,677 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 3,677 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 Chato 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 | #158,432 | #154,755 | 2.3% |
| Count | 102 | 102 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chato bearers went from 102 to 102 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 3,677 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #154,755.
FAQ
Chato surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chato?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Chato. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Chato?
Chato ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Chato. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Chato.
Has Chato become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chato went from 102 recorded bearers to 102. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Chato?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chato, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (20.6%) and White (15.7%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chato in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.0% (51 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chato appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (50.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (20.6%), White (15.7%). 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 Chato (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 Chato mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the words meaning "flat" or "flattened." 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 Chato (0.03 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 Chato?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Chato on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.