Find out how popular the last name Chima is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Chima.
A surname of Nigerian origin meaning "God's power".
Chima, 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 Chima surname is from the 2010 census data.
Chima is the 37691st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Chima surname appeared 590 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 Chima.
We can also compare 2010 data for Chima 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 37691 | 49965 | -28.00% |
| Count | 590 | 394 | 39.84% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.20 | 0.15 | 28.57% |
The surname Chima has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "chioma," which means "head of hair" or "tuft of hair." This name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a distinctive hairstyle or a particularly abundant head of hair.
In the early records, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Chioma, Chiome, and Chiomaio, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Longobardo," a collection of legal documents from the Lombard period in Italy, dating back to the 8th century.
During the Renaissance period, the Chima family gained prominence in the city of Florence, where they were known for their involvement in the textile trade. In the 14th century, Matteo Chima, a successful merchant and banker, was recorded as a prominent figure in the city's economic and political affairs.
Another notable individual bearing this surname was Giovanni Battista Chima, a renowned painter from the 16th century. Born in the town of Bassano del Grappa in 1518, he was known for his portraiture and religious works, many of which can still be found in churches and galleries across Northern Italy.
In the 18th century, the Chima family expanded their influence to other parts of Europe. Pietro Chima, born in 1712, was a prominent architect who worked on several notable buildings in Vienna, including the Hofburg Imperial Palace.
Moving into the 19th century, Vincenzo Chima (1803-1879) was an Italian botanist and professor at the University of Naples. He made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and published several influential works on the flora of Southern Italy.
Throughout its history, the surname Chima has been associated with various professions and fields, from commerce and art to academia and architecture. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Italy, the name has since spread across different regions and countries, carrying with it the rich cultural heritage of its Italian roots.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Chima.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Chima was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 12.03% | 71 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 28.98% | 171 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 40.51% | 239 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
| Hispanic Origin | 14.75% | 87 |
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 Chima has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 12.03% | 15.74% | -26.72% |
| Black | 28.98% | 24.62% | 16.27% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 40.51% | 41.88% | -3.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 1.52% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | (S)% | 9.39% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | 14.75% | 6.85% | 73.15% |
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 Chima was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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