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

Chaves, 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 Chaves surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chaves in America

Chaves is the 4368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chaves surname appeared 8,137 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Chaves.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chaves 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 Chaves

The surname Chaves is believed to have originated in Portugal. It is derived from the Galician word "chave," meaning "key," which stems from the Latin word "clavis." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with locksmiths, key makers, or individuals who held positions of authority and control.

The earliest known record of the Chaves surname dates back to the 12th century in the northern Portuguese region of Tras-os-Montes. It is thought to have been derived from the town of Chaves, located near the Spanish border. The town's name itself is believed to come from the Latin word "caveis," meaning "hollows" or "cavities," referring to the topography of the area.

In the 13th century, the Chaves surname appeared in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens," an important Portuguese genealogical record. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting that it was already well-established by that time.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Chaves surname was Pero Rodrigues Chaves, a 14th-century Portuguese nobleman and military commander who fought against the Moors in the Reconquista. He was born around 1300 and served under King Afonso IV.

Another prominent figure was Duarte Chaves, a 16th-century Portuguese cartographer and cosmographer. He was born around 1520 and is credited with creating some of the earliest accurate maps of the Indian Ocean and the coasts of Africa and Asia.

In the 17th century, Manoel Chaves was a renowned Portuguese architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon. He was born in 1590 and is considered a master of the Baroque architectural style.

During the 18th century, José Chaves was a Portuguese painter known for his religious works and portraits. He was born in 1730 and his paintings can be found in various churches and museums throughout Portugal.

In the 19th century, Tomás de Chaves was a Portuguese poet and writer who contributed significantly to the Romantic literary movement in Portugal. He was born in 1825 and his works explored themes of love, nature, and nationalism.

While the Chaves surname has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Spain, Brazil, and various Latin American countries, due to migration and colonization. However, its earliest and most significant historical references can be traced back to the Portuguese territories and the individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chaves

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

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

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

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