2000
#13,896
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,993
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.74
Rare Last name
Cheramie
A French surname derived from a place name in Normandy, likely referring to someone from that location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,399 Americans carry the last name Cheramie. That puts it at #13,835 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 142,874 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cheramie 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
2.4K
1 in 142,874
Census rank
#13,835
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,092 bearers of the surname Cheramie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13835th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheramie, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cheramie
The surname CHERAMIE originates from France, derived from the French word "chéry" meaning "beloved" or "darling." Its roots can be traced back to the 16th century when French settlers arrived in the region of Acadie, now known as Nova Scotia, Canada.
The name first appeared in historical records during the early colonial period of Acadia. One of the earliest documented instances was in the 1671 census of Port-Royal, where the CHERAMIE family was listed among the French inhabitants of the region. The name underwent various spelling variations, including Chermye, Cheramy, and Cheromie, reflecting the phonetic adaptations common in that era.
During the Great Expulsion of the Acadians in 1755, many families bearing the CHERAMIE name were forcibly deported from Acadia by the British colonial authorities. Some of these exiles found refuge in Louisiana, where they became known as Cajuns and preserved their cultural heritage, including their distinctive surnames.
One notable figure in the history of the CHERAMIE name was Joseph CHERAMIE, born in 1755 in Acadia. He was among the exiled Acadians who settled in Louisiana, where he became a prominent landowner and patriarch of a large Cajun family line. His descendants played a significant role in the development of the Acadiana region of Louisiana.
Another historically significant individual was Marie-Josephte CHERAMIE, born in 1786 in Louisiana. She was a respected midwife and herbalist, renowned for her knowledge of traditional Cajun remedies and her dedication to serving the local community.
In the 19th century, Jean CHERAMIE, born in 1815, gained recognition as a skilled boat builder and navigator in the bayous of Louisiana. His craftsmanship and expertise in navigating the intricate waterways contributed to the region's maritime traditions.
The CHERAMIE name also has ties to the fishing industry in Louisiana. Pierre CHERAMIE, born in 1850, was a renowned shrimper and fisherman who pioneered techniques for sustainable harvesting in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lastly, Émile CHERAMIE, born in 1892, was a celebrated Cajun musician and songwriter. His compositions helped preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Cajun people, ensuring that their traditions and language were passed down to future generations.
These examples illustrate the enduring presence of the CHERAMIE surname throughout history, reflecting its French origins, its diaspora to the Americas, and its deep-rooted connections to the vibrant Cajun culture of Louisiana.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cheramie
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheramie, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Cheramie 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 Cheramie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 1,892
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 82
- Two or more races3.2% · 67
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.1% · 43
- Black or African American0.3% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cheramie
Cheramie 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
#13,903
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,172
+179 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 7 places
2020
#13,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,092
-80 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Up 68 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,896 | 1,993 | 0.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,903 | 2,172 | 0.74 | +179 bearers (+9.0%) | Down 7 places |
| 2020 | #13,835 | 2,092 | 0.70 | -80 bearers (-3.7%) | Up 68 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 Cheramie 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 | #13,903 | #13,835 | 0.5% |
| Count | 2,172 | 2,092 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.70 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cheramie bearers went from 2,172 to 2,092 (-3.7% change). The surname moved up 68 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,903 to #13,835.
FAQ
Cheramie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cheramie?
Name Census estimates that about 2,399 living Americans carry the surname Cheramie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 142,874 residents.
How common is Cheramie?
Cheramie ranks #13,835 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,092 people with the surname Cheramie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,399), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Cheramie.
Has Cheramie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cheramie went from 2,172 recorded bearers to 2,092. That is a decrease of 80 (-3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,903 to #13,835.
What does the Census say about the background of Cheramie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheramie, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Cheramie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (1,892 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cheramie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Hispanic (3.9%), Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Cheramie (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 Cheramie mean?
A French surname derived from a place name in Normandy, likely referring to someone from that location. 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 Cheramie (0.70 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 Cheramie?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.