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

Chavan, 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 Chavan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chavan in America

Chavan is the 40082nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chavan surname appeared 547 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 Chavan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chavan 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 Chavan

The surname Chavan originates from the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word 'Chav' which means to chew or eat. The name likely evolved from the occupation of the family, possibly referring to someone involved in the food or culinary industry.

Historically, the name Chavan can be traced back to the 12th century. During the reign of the Yadava dynasty in the Deccan region, several references to individuals with the surname Chavan can be found in ancient texts and inscriptions.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Chavan was Mahamandaleshwar Chavan, a prominent military commander who served under the Yadava king Krishnaraja in the late 12th century. His bravery and leadership were well-documented in various chronicles of the time.

In the 16th century, during the Maratha Empire, a prominent Chavan family held significant power and influence in the region of Satara. Maloji Chavan, born in 1550, was a notable figure who served as a military general under the Maratha ruler Shivaji.

The Chavans also had a presence in the arts and literature. Moropant Chavan, born in 1675, was a renowned poet and writer who contributed significantly to the Marathi literary tradition. His works, including the epic poem "Radhikaraman," are still widely studied and appreciated.

Another notable figure from the Chavan family was Khanderao Chavan, born in 1830. He was a prominent social reformer and educator who played a crucial role in establishing schools and promoting education in rural Maharashtra during the British colonial era.

Throughout history, the Chavan surname has been associated with various spellings and variations, such as Chavhan, Chavan, and Chawhan, reflecting the regional linguistic differences within Maharashtra and neighboring areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chavan

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

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

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

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