2000
#9,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,239
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.20
Rare Last name
Chien
A Chinese surname meaning "money" or "coin," likely referring to an ancestor's occupation or status.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,329 Americans carry the last name Chien. That puts it at #8,400 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 79,176 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chien 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
4.3K
1 in 79,176
Census rank
#8,400
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,775 bearers of the surname Chien in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8400th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chien, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and White (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chien
The surname CHIEN is of French origin, dating back to the Middle Ages. Its roots can be traced to the Old French word "chien," which means "dog." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who exhibited dog-like traits or behaviors, or perhaps to someone who worked with dogs, such as a hunter or a dog trainer.
In the early 14th century, records show the name CHIEN appearing in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the archives of the city of Rouen, where a certain Jean CHIEN was mentioned in a legal document dated 1325.
During the Renaissance period, the CHIEN surname gained prominence among the French nobility. Notable figures bearing this name include Étienne CHIEN, a prominent lawyer and judge who lived from 1510 to 1587. He served as a counselor to the Parliament of Paris and was known for his expertise in civil law.
In the 17th century, the CHIEN family established a strong presence in the region of Burgundy, where they owned several vineyards and estates. One of the most illustrious members of this branch was Louis CHIEN (1625-1701), a respected vintner and patron of the arts, who commissioned several works from renowned painters and sculptors of his time.
As the CHIEN surname spread throughout France, it also found its way into other parts of Europe. In the 18th century, a German branch of the family emerged, with Johann CHIEN (1725-1798) becoming a respected theologian and author of several influential religious texts.
Across the Atlantic, the CHIEN name took root in the French colonies of North America, particularly in the regions of Quebec and Louisiana. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the New World was that of Pierre CHIEN, a fur trader and explorer who accompanied the expeditions of René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, in the late 17th century.
Over the centuries, the CHIEN surname has been associated with various professions and fields, from law and politics to the arts and academia. Notable individuals bearing this name include the French novelist and playwright René CHIEN (1879-1936), the Swiss architect and urban planner Charles CHIEN (1892-1971), and the Canadian politician and diplomat Paul CHIEN (1920-2009).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chien
Among Census respondents with the surname Chien, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and White (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Chien 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 Chien surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.0% · 3,474
- Two or more races3.5% · 133
- White2.8% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 51
- Black or African American0.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chien
Chien 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
#8,732
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,756
+517 bearers (+16.0%)
Per 100,000 1.27
Rank movement Up 525 places
2020
#8,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,775
+19 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 1.26
Rank movement Up 332 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,257 | 3,239 | 1.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,732 | 3,756 | 1.27 | +517 bearers (+16.0%) | Up 525 places |
| 2020 | #8,400 | 3,775 | 1.26 | +19 bearers (+0.5%) | Up 332 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 Chien 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 | #8,732 | #8,400 | 3.8% |
| Count | 3,756 | 3,775 | 0.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.27 | 1.26 | -0.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chien bearers went from 3,756 to 3,775 (+0.5% change). The surname moved up 332 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,732 to #8,400.
FAQ
Chien surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chien?
Name Census estimates that about 4,329 living Americans carry the surname Chien. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 79,176 residents.
How common is Chien?
Chien ranks #8,400 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,775 people with the surname Chien. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,329), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Chien.
Has Chien become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chien went from 3,756 recorded bearers to 3,775. That is an increase of 19 (+0.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,732 to #8,400.
What does the Census say about the background of Chien?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chien, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and White (2.8%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chien in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (3,474 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chien appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.0%), Two or More Races (3.5%), White (2.8%). 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 Chien (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 Chien mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "money" or "coin," likely referring to an ancestor's occupation or status. 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 Chien (1.26 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 common is the surname Chien?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Chien at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.