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

Chea, 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 Chea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chea in America

Chea is the 7411th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chea surname appeared 4,492 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Chea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chea 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 Chea

The surname CHEA is believed to have originated in Cambodia, where it is considered a common family name. The name is derived from the Khmer word "cheā," which means "father" or "paternal ancestor." This suggests that the name was likely adopted to signify one's lineage or ancestry.

CHEA is thought to have first emerged as a surname during the Khmer Empire, which ruled over much of mainland Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 15th century. During this time, the use of surnames became more widespread, particularly among the noble and ruling classes.

One of the earliest known records of the name CHEA can be found in the inscriptions of the Angkor Wat temple complex, which was built in the early 12th century. These inscriptions mention individuals with the surname CHEA who held various positions within the Khmer royal court and government.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Chea Chhom played a crucial role in the establishment of the Khmer capital of Oudong. Chea Chhom was a high-ranking official and advisor to King Ang Chan, and his descendants continued to hold influential positions in the Khmer court for several generations.

Another notable individual with the surname CHEA was Chea Vath, a revered Buddhist monk who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Chea Vath is credited with reviving and preserving the Khmer script and literature during a period of political turmoil and foreign invasion.

In more recent times, Chea Sim, who lived from 1932 to 2015, was a prominent Cambodian politician and the President of the Cambodian People's Party from 1981 until his death. He played a significant role in the reconstruction of Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge regime.

Chea Samnang, born in 1973, is a contemporary Cambodian artist known for his works that explore themes of identity, memory, and social justice. His installations and performances have been exhibited internationally and have garnered critical acclaim.

While the surname CHEA is most commonly associated with Cambodia, it has also been adopted by individuals of Cambodian descent living in other parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant Cambodian immigrant communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chea

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

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

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

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