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

Chhay, 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 Chhay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chhay in America

Chhay is the 22113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chhay surname appeared 1,170 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 Chhay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chhay to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Chhay

The surname CHHAY is believed to have originated from the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region now known as Bangladesh. The name can be traced back to the 16th century and is thought to have derived from the Bengali word "chhaya," meaning "shade" or "shadow."

One of the earliest known references to the CHHAY surname can be found in the records of the Mughal Empire, which ruled over parts of South Asia from the 16th to the 19th century. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Chhayya" and "Chhaia," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

The CHHAY surname is also linked to several place names in Bangladesh, such as Chhayapur and Chhayaganj, suggesting that the name may have originated from these locations or that families bearing the name may have resided in these areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the CHHAY surname. One such person was Mir Chhaya, a renowned Bengali poet and scholar who lived in the 17th century. His works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, have left a lasting impact on Bengali literature.

Another prominent figure with the CHHAY surname was Syed Chhaya Ali Khan, a military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century. Khan was known for his bravery and strategic skills, and his exploits were documented in various historical accounts of the time.

In the 19th century, Chhaya Devi was a respected scholar and educator who played a significant role in promoting women's education in Bengal. She established several schools and advocated for the empowerment of women through education, challenging the societal norms of her time.

Chhaya Ranjan Das, born in 1901, was a renowned Bengali novelist and short story writer. His works, often exploring the complexities of human relationships and societal issues, earned him critical acclaim and a prominent place in the literary canon of Bengal.

Lastly, Chhaya Ganguli, a celebrated Indian classical dancer and choreographer, was born in 1939. She is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the Odissi dance form and has received numerous accolades for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of this ancient dance tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chhay

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

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 Chhay 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Chhay has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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