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

Chen, 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 Chen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chen in America

Chen is the 150th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chen surname appeared 169,580 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 57 people would have the surname Chen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chen 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 Chen

The surname Chen originated from China, with records of the name dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is a Chinese family name that has been widely used across various regions of the country for centuries.

Chen is derived from the ancient Chinese word "陳" (chén), which means "to exhibit" or "to display". It is believed that this surname was initially given to individuals who held positions related to exhibiting or showcasing items, such as artisans or artisans' assistants.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Chen surname was particularly prevalent in the region of Wuxi, located in present-day Jiangsu Province. Historical records from this period, such as local gazetteers, mention several notable figures with the Chen surname who held positions of influence in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Chen surname can be found in the "Book of Tang", a historical text compiled in the 10th century AD, which mentions Chen Xuanli (陳玄理), a renowned poet and calligrapher who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).

Another notable figure with the Chen surname was Chen Qingzhi (陳慶之), a prominent scholar and official during the Song Dynasty, who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Confucian Academy in Wuxi.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Chen surname was particularly prevalent in the southern regions of China, such as Guangdong and Fujian provinces. One of the most famous individuals with this surname from this period was Chen Jingrun (陳經綸), a renowned naval commander and strategist who helped defend the coastal regions against pirate attacks.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the Chen surname was widespread across various regions of China. One notable figure was Chen Xuju (陳虛舉), a respected scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of Neo-Confucianism.

Another prominent individual with the Chen surname was Chen Duxiu (陳獨秀), a leader of the May Fourth Movement in the early 20th century, which played a crucial role in shaping modern Chinese literature and culture.

Throughout history, the Chen surname has been associated with numerous accomplished individuals in various fields, including literature, art, philosophy, and military affairs, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and diversity of China.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chen

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

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

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

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