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

Chavira, 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 Chavira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chavira in America

Chavira is the 4135th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chavira surname appeared 8,573 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 Chavira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chavira 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 Chavira

The surname Chavira is of Spanish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the town of Chavera, located in the province of Soria, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. The name is derived from the Latin word "capraria," which means "goat pasture" or "place of goats."

The earliest known record of the surname Chavira dates back to 1587, when it appeared in a census record from the town of Soria. In the following centuries, the name spread across various regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Aragon, and Catalonia.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Chavira was Juan Chavira, a Spanish soldier who fought in the Conquest of Mexico under the command of Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Records show that he participated in several battles and was granted land in the region of Veracruz.

Another significant figure was María Chavira, a Spanish nun who lived in the 17th century. She was known for her charitable works and dedication to the education of underprivileged children in the city of Seville.

In the 18th century, Manuel Chavira (1712-1789) was a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the city of Barcelona. His most notable work is the Church of Santa María del Mar, which is a stunning example of Catalan Gothic architecture.

During the 19th century, José Chavira (1822-1888) was a renowned poet and writer from Madrid. He was a member of the Royal Spanish Academy and is remembered for his contributions to the Romantic literary movement in Spain.

In the 20th century, Enrique Chavira (1912-1998) was a renowned Mexican artist and sculptor. He was known for his abstract and modernist works, and his sculptures can be found in various public spaces throughout Mexico City.

It is important to note that while the surname Chavira has its roots in Spain, it has also become widespread in other Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in Mexico and some parts of Latin America, due to migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chavira

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!