2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chernis
Of Ukrainian origin, meaning black or dark-colored.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Chernis. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chernis 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Chernis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chernis, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chernis
The surname Chernis is believed to have originated in Ukraine, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Ukrainian word "chernyj," meaning "black" or "dark," suggesting that the name may have been initially used to describe someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cossack Registers of the Zaporozhian Host, a military formation of Ukrainian Cossacks from the 16th to 18th centuries. These registers were crucial historical documents that recorded the names and details of Cossack members.
The Chernis surname has also been linked to several place names in Ukraine, such as the village of Chernyshiv in the Zhytomyr region. It is possible that the name originated from this or a similar location, with the "-is" suffix indicating a person's origin or residence.
During the 19th century, the Chernis surname appeared in various Ukrainian manuscripts and records, including church records and census documents. One notable individual from this period was Hryhoriy Chernis (1828-1901), a Ukrainian philosopher and historian who made significant contributions to the study of Ukrainian culture and history.
Another prominent figure with the Chernis surname was Oleksandr Chernis (1876-1938), a Ukrainian writer and journalist who was active during the early 20th century. His works explored themes of Ukrainian nationalism and the struggle for independence.
In the realm of art, the name Chernis is associated with Mykola Chernis (1906-1985), a renowned Ukrainian painter and illustrator known for his vibrant depictions of Ukrainian folk life and landscapes.
Other notable individuals with the Chernis surname include Petro Chernis (1892-1970), a Ukrainian military leader who fought in World War I and the Ukrainian-Soviet War, and Yevhen Chernis (1942-2021), a prominent Ukrainian engineer and scientist who made significant contributions to the field of aerospace technology.
Throughout its history, the Chernis surname has maintained a strong connection to its Ukrainian roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chernis
Among Census respondents with the surname Chernis, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Chernis 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 Chernis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chernis
Chernis 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
+14 bearers (+12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,631 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-10 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,305 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+12.3%) | Up 3,631 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 11,305 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 Chernis 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 | #132,206 | #143,511 | -8.6% |
| Count | 128 | 118 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chernis bearers went from 128 to 118 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 11,305 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #143,511.
FAQ
Chernis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chernis?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Chernis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Chernis?
Chernis ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Chernis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Chernis.
Has Chernis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chernis went from 128 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 10 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Chernis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chernis, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Chernis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chernis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Chernis (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 Chernis mean?
Of Ukrainian origin, meaning black or dark-colored. 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 Chernis (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 have the surname Chernis?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.