2000
#103,193
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 161
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Chavda
A surname denoting a caste or community of cultivators or farmers from Gujarat, India.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 533 Americans carry the last name Chavda. That puts it at #48,977 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 643,066 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chavda 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Chavda with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
533
1 in 643,066
Census rank
#48,977
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
465
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 465 bearers of the surname Chavda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48977th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chavda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and White (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chavda
The surname CHAVDA is believed to have originated in the Indian state of Gujarat, where it is still most prevalent today. It is thought to derive from the Sanskrit word 'chavada,' meaning 'one who dwells in a village.' This suggests that the name may have roots in an ancient village or settlement somewhere in Gujarat, though the exact location is unclear.
In terms of historical references, the name does not appear to be mentioned in any major ancient texts or manuscripts. However, some records from the medieval period in Gujarat do contain variations of the spelling, such as 'Chawda' or 'Chawada.' This indicates that the name has been present in the region for several centuries at least.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the CHAVDA surname was Khengar Chavda, a prominent landowner and chieftain in the region of Saurashtra in the late 15th century. He is said to have played a significant role in local politics and conflicts during that time period.
Another notable figure was Ratan Singh Chavda, a military commander who served under the Maratha Empire in the 18th century. He was known for his bravery and strategic skills on the battlefield, and played a part in several important campaigns and battles.
In the 19th century, Khushal Chavda was a renowned scholar and poet from Gujarat. His works, written in Gujarati and Sanskrit, covered a wide range of topics including philosophy, religion, and literature. He was highly regarded during his lifetime and his writings are still studied today.
Moving into the 20th century, Vijay Chavda was a prominent Indian freedom fighter who participated in the struggle for independence from British rule. He was arrested and imprisoned multiple times for his activism and involvement in protests and civil disobedience movements.
More recently, Naresh Chavda was an accomplished Indian cricketer who represented Gujarat and West Zone in domestic competitions between the 1970s and 1990s. He was a talented all-rounder known for his batting prowess and useful off-spin bowling.
While the CHAVDA surname may not be as well-known globally as some others, it has a long and rich history in the state of Gujarat, with many individuals bearing the name having made significant contributions across various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chavda
Among Census respondents with the surname Chavda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and White (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Chavda 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 Chavda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.7% · 431
- Two or more races2.6% · 12
- White2.4% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 6
- Black or African American0.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chavda
Chavda 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
#67,943
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 290
+129 bearers (+80.1%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 35,250 places
2020
#48,977
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 465
+175 bearers (+60.3%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 18,966 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #103,193 | 161 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #67,943 | 290 | 0.10 | +129 bearers (+80.1%) | Up 35,250 places |
| 2020 | #48,977 | 465 | 0.16 | +175 bearers (+60.3%) | Up 18,966 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 Chavda 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 | #67,943 | #48,977 | 27.9% |
| Count | 290 | 465 | 60.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.16 | 55.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chavda bearers went from 290 to 465 (+60.3% change). The surname moved up 18,966 positions in the national ranking, going from #67,943 to #48,977.
FAQ
Chavda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chavda?
Name Census estimates that about 533 living Americans carry the surname Chavda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 643,066 residents.
How common is Chavda?
Chavda ranks #48,977 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 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 465 people with the surname Chavda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (533), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 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 Chavda.
Has Chavda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chavda went from 290 recorded bearers to 465. That is an increase of 175 (+60.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #67,943 to #48,977.
What does the Census say about the background of Chavda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chavda, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and White (2.4%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chavda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (431 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chavda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.7%), Two or More Races (2.6%), White (2.4%). 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 Chavda (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 Chavda mean?
A surname denoting a caste or community of cultivators or farmers from Gujarat, India. 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 Chavda (0.16 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 Chavda?
Find out how many people are called Chavda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.