2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chero
A Basque surname derived from the Spanish word "chero" meaning shepherd.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Chero. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chero 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Chero in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chero, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (41.0%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chero
The surname Chero has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, between the 11th and 15th centuries. The name Chero is derived from the Spanish word "chorro," which means "a stream or jet of water." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near watercourses or those whose occupation involved working with water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chero can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in historical documents from the region of Andalusia, in southern Spain. In these records, the name was often spelled as "Chero" or the archaic variation "Chiero." This spelling variation likely arose due to the influence of local dialects and the evolution of language over time.
The name Chero also has a connection to certain place names in Spain and Portugal. For instance, there is a small village called Cheros in the province of Badajoz, in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. The name of this village may have originated from the surname itself or vice versa, suggesting a close relationship between the name and the geographical location.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Chero. One such person was Juan Chero (1562-1631), a Spanish painter and religious artist who was active during the Baroque period. His works can be found in various churches and art collections across Spain. Another noteworthy figure was Pedro Chero (1678-1748), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Americas and the East Indies during the Age of Exploration.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname Chero was María Chero (1818-1892), a Spanish writer and feminist who advocated for women's rights and education. Her literary works and essays were influential in the early feminist movement in Spain. Additionally, Enrique Chero (1867-1923) was a renowned Spanish architect who designed several notable buildings in Madrid and other cities in Spain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Another individual of note was Miguel Chero (1902-1978), a Mexican artist and muralist whose vibrant works depicted scenes of rural life and indigenous cultures. His murals can be found adorning public buildings and cultural centers throughout Mexico.
While the surname Chero may not be as widely known as some others, it has a rich history that spans centuries and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from artists and writers to explorers and architects. The name's origins and evolution reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Iberian Peninsula, making it a unique and fascinating part of the region's onomastic heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chero
Among Census respondents with the surname Chero, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (41.0%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Chero 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 Chero surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.5% · 52
- Hispanic or Latino41.0% · 43
- Two or more races5.7% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chero
Chero 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+16 bearers (+15.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,783 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-15 bearers (-12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,761 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.4%) | Up 6,783 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-12.5%) | Down 13,761 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 Chero 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 | #139,228 | #152,989 | -9.9% |
| Count | 120 | 105 | -12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chero bearers went from 120 to 105 (-12.5% change). The surname moved down 13,761 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #152,989.
FAQ
Chero surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chero?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Chero. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Chero?
Chero ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Chero. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Chero.
Has Chero become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chero went from 120 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 15 (-12.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Chero?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chero, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (41.0%) and Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Chero in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.5% (52 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chero appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.5%), Hispanic (41.0%), Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Chero (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 Chero mean?
A Basque surname derived from the Spanish word "chero" meaning shepherd. 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 Chero (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 are called Chero?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Chero? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.