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

Chelliah, 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 Chelliah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chelliah in America

Chelliah is the 101247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chelliah surname appeared 178 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Chelliah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chelliah 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 Chelliah

The surname CHELLIAH originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the Tamil-speaking regions of southern India. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 9th to 13th centuries CE.

The name CHELLIAH is derived from the Tamil word "chelliyan," which means "wealthy person" or "prosperous merchant." This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals involved in trade or commerce, reflecting their economic status and prosperity.

Historical records indicate that the name CHELLIAH was prevalent among the Tamil mercantile communities, particularly in the regions of present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and parts of Sri Lanka. These areas were known for their thriving trade networks and mercantile activities during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name CHELLIAH can be found in inscriptions and copper-plate grants from the Chola Dynasty, which ruled parts of southern India between the 9th and 13th centuries CE. These inscriptions often documented land grants and transactions involving individuals with the CHELLIAH surname.

In the 16th century, the CHELLIAH name appears in the records of the Portuguese colonial administration in parts of southern India and Sri Lanka. This indicates that the name was well-established among the local Tamil communities during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname CHELLIAH throughout history include:

1. Chelliah Arunachalam (1822-1875), a prominent Tamil scholar and author from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka).
2. Chelliah Rajah (1828-1879), a Tamil merchant and philanthropist from Penang, Malaysia, who contributed significantly to the development of the local community.
3. Chelliah Thangavelu (1856-1926), a Tamil writer and journalist from Ceylon who advocated for social reforms and women's education.
4. Chelliah Sinniah (1868-1926), a Tamil lawyer and politician from Ceylon who served as a member of the Legislative Council.
5. Chelliah Loganathan (1912-1982), a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer who helped popularize Bharatanatyam dance form.

While the surname CHELLIAH has its roots in southern India, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, it remains strongly associated with its Tamil heritage and the historical mercantile traditions of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chelliah

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

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

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

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