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

Chinnam, 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 Chinnam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chinnam in America

Chinnam is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chinnam surname appeared 102 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 Chinnam.

The history of the last name Chinnam

The surname CHINNAM is believed to have originated in India, likely in the southern regions of the country, during ancient times. It is thought to be derived from the Tamil language, where the word "chinnam" means "small" or "little." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone of smaller stature or a younger sibling.

One of the earliest known records of the name CHINNAM can be found in ancient Tamil literary works, such as the Sangam literature, which dates back to the early centuries of the Common Era. These works often mention individuals with the surname, indicating its prevalence in the region during that time period.

In the medieval era, the CHINNAM name appears in various historical documents and records from the southern Indian kingdoms. For instance, there are references to individuals with this surname in the inscriptions and copper plate grants of the Chola and Pallava dynasties, which ruled over parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh between the 6th and 13th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname CHINNAM include Chinnam Bhupala Reddy (1874-1944), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer from Andhra Pradesh, who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. Another prominent figure was Chinnam Narayana Reddy (1879-1958), a renowned Telugu writer and poet who contributed greatly to the literary landscape of the region.

In the field of performing arts, Chinnam Ramakrishna Rao (1900-1979) was a celebrated Indian classical dancer and choreographer, known for his contributions to the Kuchipudi dance form. Chinnam Anjaneya Sharma (1925-2010), on the other hand, was a distinguished Telugu writer and recipient of the prestigious Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CHINNAM surname can be traced back to the 14th century, when a village in Andhra Pradesh was referred to as "Chinnam Padu" or "Chinnam Palli" in historical records, indicating the presence of individuals with this surname in the area at that time.

While the CHINNAM name is primarily associated with southern India, particularly the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, it has also been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds and regions over the centuries, contributing to its diverse historical and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chinnam

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

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 Chinnam 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!