2000
#75,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 238
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Cheli
An Armenian surname derived from the Armenian word "cheli" meaning "clear" or "pure."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 263 Americans carry the last name Cheli. That puts it at #87,312 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,303,248 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cheli 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.
Bearers in the US
263
1 in 1,303,248
Census rank
#87,312
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
229
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 229 bearers of the surname Cheli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 87312th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheli, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cheli
The surname CHELI is of Italian origin and can be traced back to the 14th century in the northern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Milan and Bergamo. The name is believed to derive from the Latin word "cella," which translates to "cell" or "small room," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in or worked in a small dwelling or monastery cell.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the CHELI name can be found in the archives of the city of Milan, where a document from 1387 refers to a "Petrus Cheli" who was a landowner in the region. This document serves as evidence of the name's existence and provides a glimpse into the lives of those who bore it during that era.
In the 15th century, the CHELI name appeared in various historical records, including the registers of the Venetian Republic. In 1457, a merchant named Giovanni CHELI was recorded as conducting business transactions in the city of Venice, indicating the family's involvement in trade and commerce during that period.
The earliest known individual with the CHELI surname was Francesco CHELI, born in 1542 in the town of Bergamo. He was a respected scholar and theologian, known for his contributions to the study of canon law. Another notable figure was Antonio CHELI, born in 1612 in Milan, who was a celebrated architect and designer of several prominent churches and buildings in northern Italy.
In the 18th century, the CHELI family produced a notable figure in the form of Girolamo CHELI (1718-1794), a renowned painter from the city of Cremona. His works, which often depicted religious scenes and portraits, can be found in various churches and galleries across Italy.
Another prominent individual with the CHELI surname was Carlo CHELI (1859-1923), a politician and statesman from Tuscany. He served as a member of the Italian parliament and held several influential positions within the government during his career.
Throughout its history, the CHELI name has been associated with various professions, from scholars and artists to merchants and politicians, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this surname across generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cheli
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheli, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Cheli 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 Cheli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 208
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 4
- Two or more races1.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cheli
Cheli 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
#84,463
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 222
-16 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 8,997 places
2020
#87,312
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 229
+7 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 2,849 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #75,466 | 238 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #84,463 | 222 | 0.08 | -16 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 8,997 places |
| 2020 | #87,312 | 229 | 0.08 | +7 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 2,849 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 Cheli 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 | #84,463 | #87,312 | -3.4% |
| Count | 222 | 229 | 3.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | -4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cheli bearers went from 222 to 229 (+3.2% change). The surname moved down 2,849 positions in the national ranking, going from #84,463 to #87,312.
FAQ
Cheli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cheli?
Name Census estimates that about 263 living Americans carry the surname Cheli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,303,248 residents.
How common is Cheli?
Cheli ranks #87,312 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 229 people with the surname Cheli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (263), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Cheli.
Has Cheli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cheli went from 222 recorded bearers to 229. That is an increase of 7 (+3.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #84,463 to #87,312.
What does the Census say about the background of Cheli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheli, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cheli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (208 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cheli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (5.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Cheli (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 Cheli mean?
An Armenian surname derived from the Armenian word "cheli" meaning "clear" or "pure." 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 Cheli (0.08 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 many people are called Cheli?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Cheli at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.