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

Chicaiza, 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 Chicaiza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chicaiza in America

Chicaiza is the 49177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chicaiza surname appeared 428 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 Chicaiza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chicaiza 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 Chicaiza

The surname CHICAIZA is of Ecuadorian origin, tracing its roots to the indigenous Quechua language spoken by the Inca civilization in the Andes region of South America. The name is believed to have emerged during the Spanish colonial period in the 16th and 17th centuries.

CHICAIZA is thought to derive from the Quechua words "chica," meaning "small" or "little," and "iza," referring to a type of shrub or plant. It may have initially been used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or worked with a particular type of small shrub or plant. Variations in spelling, such as CHICAYZA or CHICAYSA, were likely due to the challenges of transcribing Quechua words into Spanish orthography.

While there are no known historical records or manuscripts that specifically mention the surname CHICAIZA, it is likely that early instances of the name can be found in colonial church records and land registries from the region that is now modern-day Ecuador. These records, dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, often documented the names of indigenous individuals who had converted to Christianity or were granted land by Spanish colonial authorities.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname CHICAIZA was Juan CHICAIZA, a prominent landowner and farmer in the Ecuadorian highlands during the late 18th century. Another notable figure was María CHICAIZA, a renowned ceramist and artisan from the town of Calderón, known for her exquisite pottery in the early 19th century.

In the 20th century, CHICAIZA gained wider recognition through individuals like Carlos CHICAIZA (1919-1998), a respected Ecuadorian poet and writer whose works explored themes of indigenous identity and cultural preservation. María Eugenia CHICAIZA (1924-2011) was a pioneering educator who established several schools and educational programs for underprivileged children in rural Ecuador.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the surname CHICAIZA in recent history was Luis CHICAIZA (1947-2022), a renowned Ecuadorian sculptor and artist whose works were celebrated for their unique blend of indigenous and contemporary styles. His sculptures can be found in public spaces and museums throughout Ecuador and abroad.

While the surname CHICAIZA has its origins in the Quechua language and Inca culture of Ecuador, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots remain firmly connected to the indigenous heritage of the Andean region, serving as a testament to the rich cultural diversity of Ecuador.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chicaiza

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

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

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

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