2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chiola
A Romanized form of the Italian surname derived from the place name Chiola.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Chiola. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chiola 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Chiola in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chiola, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chiola
The surname "CHIOLA" is of Italian origin, originating in the southern regions of the country, particularly in the regions of Campania and Calabria. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "chiola," which means "a small creek" or "a small stream." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small waterway or a creek.
The earliest known record of the surname "CHIOLA" dates back to the 16th century. It is documented in various historical records and manuscripts from that period, including local church records and municipal documents. One notable reference can be found in the "Archivio di Stato di Napoli" (State Archive of Naples), which mentions a family bearing the surname "CHIOLA" residing in the town of Caserta during the late 1500s.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname "CHIOLA" gained prominence in various parts of southern Italy. In the town of Salerno, records from the 1600s show the presence of a notable family named "CHIOLA," who were involved in local politics and trade. Another notable figure from this period was Antonio Chiola (1650-1718), a renowned sculptor and artist from the city of Naples.
In the 19th century, the surname "CHIOLA" spread across Italy and beyond, as members of the family migrated to other regions and countries. One notable individual from this period was Giuseppe Chiola (1822-1898), a prominent Italian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Italian Parliament.
Another significant figure with the surname "CHIOLA" was Mario Chiola (1885-1961), an Italian philosopher and educator who made significant contributions to the field of education and pedagogy. He was born in the town of Potenza and later became a professor at the University of Naples.
Throughout history, there have been various place names and older spellings associated with the surname "CHIOLA." For instance, in the town of Caserta, there is a small hamlet known as "Chiola," which likely derived its name from the same root as the surname. Additionally, in some historical documents, the surname has been spelled as "Chiola," "Chiolla," or "Chiuola," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chiola
Among Census respondents with the surname Chiola, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Chiola 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 Chiola surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 112
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chiola
Chiola 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-5 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,530 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+4 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,100 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 13,530 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.4%) | Up 1,100 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 Chiola 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 | #143,149 | #142,049 | 0.8% |
| Count | 116 | 120 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chiola bearers went from 116 to 120 (+3.4% change). The surname moved up 1,100 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #142,049.
FAQ
Chiola surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chiola?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Chiola. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Chiola?
Chiola ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Chiola. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Chiola.
Has Chiola become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chiola went from 116 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 4 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Chiola?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chiola, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chiola in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chiola appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Chiola (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 Chiola mean?
A Romanized form of the Italian surname derived from the place name Chiola. 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 Chiola (0.04 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 many people have the surname Chiola?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.