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

Chham, 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 Chham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chham in America

Chham is the 118185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chham surname appeared 147 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Chham.

The history of the last name Chham

The surname CHHAM is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of modern-day India and Pakistan. Its roots can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries.

The name CHHAM is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "chhama," which means "forgiveness" or "pardon." This suggests that the name might have been associated with individuals who exhibited qualities of mercy or compassion, or perhaps those who were involved in religious or spiritual pursuits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CHHAM can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it is mentioned as the name of a revered sage or philosopher. However, the exact details and timeframe of this reference remain unclear due to the scarcity of documentation from that era.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Chham Lal emerged as a prominent scholar and poet in the court of Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1351 to 1388. Chham Lal's literary works, which explored themes of spirituality and love, garnered widespread acclaim and contributed to the recognition of the CHHAM name.

During the Mughal Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the CHHAM surname was associated with several influential families and individuals. One such figure was Chham Khan, a skilled military commander who served under the Mughal emperor Akbar and played a crucial role in various military campaigns in the late 16th century.

In the 18th century, the CHHAM name gained further prominence with Chham Singh, a renowned warrior and chieftain from the Rajput clan. He was known for his bravery and leadership in battles against invading forces, and his exploits were widely celebrated in local folklore and oral traditions.

Another notable figure with the CHHAM surname was Chham Chand, a prominent merchant and trader from the city of Lahore (now in modern-day Pakistan) during the late 18th century. He established a successful trading network that extended across the Indian subcontinent and even reached as far as Central Asia and the Middle East.

As the CHHAM name spread across different regions and communities, it inevitably underwent variations in spelling and pronunciation. Some alternative spellings included Chham, Chhama, Chhaam, and Chhamma, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that shaped the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chham

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

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 Chham 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.

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

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

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