2000
#2,752
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,027
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.46
Uncommon Last name
Chisholm
From a Scottish place name meaning "cheese island," referring to a meadow good for grazing cattle.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,156 Americans carry the last name Chisholm. That puts it at #2,841 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,213 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chisholm 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Chisholm with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,213
Census rank
#2,841
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,345 bearers of the surname Chisholm in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2841st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chisholm, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.0%. The next largest groups are Black (27.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chisholm
The surname Chisholm is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Chisholme or Chisholme in the Scottish Borders region. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century as a territorial name. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the records of the Abbey of Kelso in 1159, where it is written as "Cysshome."
The name is thought to derive from the Old English words "cis" meaning "bitch" and "holme" meaning "island" or "river meadow." This suggests that the original lands may have been associated with an island or meadow frequented by bitches or female wolves.
In the 13th century, the Chisholm family gained prominence as landowners and supporters of the Scottish monarchy. They were one of the principal families of Roxburghshire and held significant influence in the Scottish Borders region.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Sir Robert Chisholm (c.1300-1360), a prominent Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence alongside King Robert the Bruce. He was granted lands in Roxburghshire for his loyalty and bravery.
During the 16th century, the Chisholms were involved in various Border feuds and conflicts with neighboring clans, such as the Scotts and the Kerrs. This period saw the rise of several notable Chisholm lairds, including William Chisholm (c.1520-1585), who was known for his involvement in the Raid of the Redeswire in 1575.
In the 17th century, Alexander Chisholm (1590-1658) was a Scottish writer and poet who published works on theology and philosophy. He served as the minister of Coldingham and later became the Bishop of Dunblane.
The 18th century saw the emergence of William Chisholm (1718-1788), a Scottish-American soldier and explorer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a lieutenant colonel in the British Army and later assisted the American colonists in their fight for independence.
Another notable figure was Caroline Chisholm (1808-1877), an English philanthropist and social reformer. She is best known for her efforts in advocating for the welfare of immigrant women and children, particularly in Australia, where she established shelters and employment assistance programs.
The surname Chisholm has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, soldiers, writers, and social reformers. Despite its Scottish origins, the name has spread across the globe, reflecting the migrations and contributions of those who bore it throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chisholm
Among Census respondents with the surname Chisholm, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.0%. The next largest groups are Black (27.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Chisholm 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 Chisholm surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.0% · 7,780
- Black or African American27.7% · 3,416
- Two or more races4.4% · 541
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 425
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 93
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 90
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chisholm
Chisholm 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
#2,878
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,503
+476 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 4.24
Rank movement Down 126 places
2020
#2,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,345
-158 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 4.13
Rank movement Up 37 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,752 | 12,027 | 4.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,878 | 12,503 | 4.24 | +476 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 126 places |
| 2020 | #2,841 | 12,345 | 4.13 | -158 bearers (-1.3%) | Up 37 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 Chisholm 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 | #2,878 | #2,841 | 1.3% |
| Count | 12,503 | 12,345 | -1.3% |
| Per 100K | 4.24 | 4.13 | -2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chisholm bearers went from 12,503 to 12,345 (-1.3% change). The surname moved up 37 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,878 to #2,841.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Chisholm
FAQ
Chisholm surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chisholm?
Name Census estimates that about 14,156 living Americans carry the surname Chisholm. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,213 residents.
How common is Chisholm?
Chisholm ranks #2,841 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,345 people with the surname Chisholm. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,156), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Chisholm.
Has Chisholm become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chisholm went from 12,503 recorded bearers to 12,345. That is a decrease of 158 (-1.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,878 to #2,841.
What does the Census say about the background of Chisholm?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chisholm, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.0%. The next largest groups are Black (27.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Chisholm in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.0% (7,780 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chisholm appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.0%), Black (27.7%), Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Chisholm (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 Chisholm mean?
From a Scottish place name meaning "cheese island," referring to a meadow good for grazing cattle. 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 Chisholm (4.13 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 last name Chisholm?
Find out how common the surname Chisholm is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.