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

Chauhan, 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 Chauhan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chauhan in America

Chauhan is the 10731st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chauhan surname appeared 2,975 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Chauhan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chauhan 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 Chauhan

The surname Chauhan originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Rajasthan. It is believed to have derived from the Chauhan Rajput clan, which ruled over parts of present-day Rajasthan and surrounding areas from the 6th to the 12th centuries. The name is rooted in the Sanskrit language, where "Chau" means "four" and "Han" means "divisions" or "branches," referring to the four main branches of the Chauhan clan.

Historical records indicate that the Chauhan Rajputs established their kingdom in the region around the present-day city of Ajmer in the 7th century. They gained prominence during the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan (1166-1192), who is celebrated as one of the greatest warriors and rulers of the Chauhan dynasty. Prithviraj Chauhan's heroic exploits against the invading Muslim forces are documented in several literary works, including the epic poem "Prithviraj Raso."

The Chauhan surname is mentioned in various ancient texts and inscriptions, such as the Gwalior inscription of the 9th century and the Bijolia rock inscription of the 11th century. These inscriptions provide valuable insights into the history and genealogy of the Chauhan Rajputs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Chauhan surname can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab traveler and scholar, Al-Biruni, who visited India in the 11th century. He documented the name "Chauhan" in his accounts of the region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Chauhan surname. Some examples include:

1. Prithviraj Chauhan (c. 1166-1192), the legendary Rajput king and warrior who ruled over the Chauhan dynasty.
2. Vigraha Raja Chauhan (c. 975-1010), a prominent ruler of the Chauhan dynasty and the founder of the city of Vigraha-Pura (present-day Bijolia).
3. Govind Chandra Chauhan (c. 1340-1382), a ruler of the Chauhan dynasty who fought against the Delhi Sultanate.
4. Raj Singh Chauhan (1654-1688), a Rajput warrior and chieftain who played a significant role in the conflicts between the Mughal Empire and the Rajput kingdoms.
5. Vishvamitra Chauhan (c. 1850-1920), an Indian independence activist and writer who advocated for social reforms and women's education.

The Chauhan surname is still prevalent in various parts of India, particularly in Rajasthan, and is associated with the legacy of the Chauhan Rajputs, their bravery, and their contributions to the region's history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chauhan

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

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

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

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