2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chenelle
A French surname derived from the word "chênelle" meaning "small oak tree."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Chenelle. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chenelle 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Chenelle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chenelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Hispanic (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chenelle
The surname "CHENELLE" is of French origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the French word "chenille," which means "caterpillar" or "silkworm." This connection suggests that the name was likely associated with individuals involved in the silk trade or the production of silk fabrics.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the records of the French village of Chenelette, located in the region of Auvergne. Historical documents from the 13th century mention a family bearing the name Chenelle residing in this area, indicating their presence and potential association with the silk industry.
During the 14th century, the name Chenelle appeared in various legal documents and property records across different regions of France, such as Burgundy and Champagne. This suggests that members of the family had begun to establish themselves in various parts of the country.
In the 15th century, a notable figure with the surname Chenelle was Jean Chenelle, a prominent silk merchant from the city of Lyon. Born in 1428, he played a significant role in the flourishing silk trade of the region, contributing to the city's reputation as a center for luxury textiles.
Another historical figure bearing the name was Marguerite Chenelle, a renowned lace maker who lived in the town of Alençon during the 16th century. Her exquisite lace creations were highly sought after by the French nobility and contributed to the town's reputation for fine lacemaking.
In the 17th century, the name Chenelle was associated with the Huguenot community in France. During the religious persecution of Protestants, many individuals with this surname fled to neighboring countries like England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, seeking refuge and the freedom to practice their faith.
One notable example from this period was Pierre Chenelle, a Huguenot silk weaver born in 1642 in Nîmes. He and his family eventually settled in London after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, where they continued their silk-weaving trade and contributed to the flourishing textile industry in England.
As the centuries passed, the name Chenelle continued to be found in various regions of France, with some individuals bearing the surname achieving notable positions in society. For instance, in the 18th century, Jacques Chenelle was a respected lawyer and magistrate in the city of Dijon, while in the 19th century, Marie Chenelle was a celebrated opera singer who graced the stages of Paris and other European capitals.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chenelle
Among Census respondents with the surname Chenelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Hispanic (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Chenelle 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 Chenelle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.2% · 89
- Two or more races5.6% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.7% · 4
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chenelle
Chenelle appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 107 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 107 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 Chenelle 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 | #151,532 | #151,639 | -0.1% |
| Count | 108 | 107 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chenelle bearers went from 108 to 107 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 107 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #151,639.
FAQ
Chenelle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chenelle?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Chenelle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Chenelle?
Chenelle ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 107 people with the surname Chenelle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Chenelle.
Has Chenelle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chenelle went from 108 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Chenelle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chenelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Hispanic (4.7%). 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 Chenelle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.2% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chenelle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.2%), Two or More Races (5.6%), Hispanic (4.7%). 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 Chenelle (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 Chenelle mean?
A French surname derived from the word "chênelle" meaning "small oak tree." 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 Chenelle (0.04 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 share the surname Chenelle?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.