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

Chicano, 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 Chicano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chicano in America

Chicano is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chicano surname appeared 120 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 Chicano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chicano 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 Chicano

The surname Chicano is derived from the Spanish word "Mexicano," which means "Mexican." It originated in Mexico and is closely associated with the Mexican-American identity and cultural movement.

The term "Chicano" emerged in the 1960s during the Chicano Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It was adopted by Mexican-Americans as a way to assert their unique cultural identity, separate from the broader Hispanic or Latino labels.

Historically, the term "Chicano" has its roots in the Mexican-American communities of the southwestern United States, particularly in California, Texas, and the surrounding states. It was used to express pride in their indigenous Mexican heritage and their struggle for civil rights and social justice.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the term "Chicano" can be found in the writings of Mexican-American activists and writers like Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, who published the influential poem "Yo Soy Joaquín" in 1967, which celebrated Chicano identity and culture.

Notable people throughout history who have embraced the Chicano identity and surname include:

1. César Chávez (1927-1993), a prominent labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
2. Dolores Huerta (born 1930), a civil rights activist and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association alongside César Chávez.
3. Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales (1928-2005), a boxer, poet, and activist who is considered one of the founders of the Chicano Movement.
4. Luis Valdez (born 1940), a playwright, actor, and filmmaker known for his contributions to the Chicano theater movement, including the play "Zoot Suit."
5. Gloria Anzaldúa (1942-2004), a scholar, writer, and cultural theorist who explored issues of Chicana identity and the borderlands experience.

The surname Chicano is deeply rooted in the Mexican-American struggle for civil rights, cultural identity, and social justice. It serves as a powerful symbol of pride, resistance, and the ongoing fight for equality and recognition within the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chicano

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

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

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

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