2010
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chitale
A surname of Indian origin meaning "someone from the village Chitali".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 175 Americans carry the last name Chitale. That puts it at #119,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,958,596 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chitale 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
175
1 in 1,958,596
Census rank
#119,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
153
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 153 bearers of the surname Chitale in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 119572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chitale, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chitale
The surname Chitale originates from the Indian state of Maharashtra, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "chitra," meaning "picture" or "painting," suggesting that the name may have been associated with the profession of an artist or painter in ancient times.
The name Chitale is believed to have emerged from the village of Chitalwadi, located in the Pune district of Maharashtra. This village was known for its skilled artisans and painters, and it is likely that the surname originated there. Historical records indicate that the name was prominent among the Brahmin community in this region.
One of the earliest documented references to the Chitale surname can be found in the Marathi text "Prabhakar Charitra," written in the 17th century. This work mentions a prominent scholar and poet named Bhaskar Chitale, who lived during the reign of the Maratha ruler Shivaji.
In the 18th century, Balaji Chitale (1720-1789) was a renowned military commander who served under the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire. He played a significant role in several battles and is celebrated for his bravery and strategic brilliance.
Another notable figure bearing the Chitale surname was Laxmibai Chitale (1835-1892), a social reformer and educator. She was a pioneer in promoting women's education and played a crucial role in establishing some of the first schools for girls in Pune.
Venkatrao Chitale (1867-1940) was a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. He was known for his legal expertise and integrity, and his contributions to the Indian legal system are widely recognized.
Lastly, Govind Chitale (1895-1958) was a renowned artist and painter who specialized in portraiture and landscape paintings. His works are highly regarded and can be found in various museums and private collections across India.
While the Chitale surname has its roots in Maharashtra, individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions in various fields throughout India's history, leaving an indelible mark on the country's cultural and intellectual landscape.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chitale
Among Census respondents with the surname Chitale, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chitale 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 Chitale surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.5% · 143
- White3.3% · 5
- Two or more races2.0% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chitale
Chitale appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#119,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
+27 bearers (+21.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 14,291 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #119,572 | 153 | 0.05 | +27 bearers (+21.4%) | Up 14,291 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 Chitale 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 | #133,863 | #119,572 | 10.7% |
| Count | 126 | 153 | 21.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 28.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chitale bearers went from 126 to 153 (+21.4% change). The surname moved up 14,291 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #119,572.
FAQ
Chitale surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chitale?
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the surname Chitale. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,958,596 residents.
How common is Chitale?
Chitale ranks #119,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 153 people with the surname Chitale. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (175), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Chitale.
Has Chitale become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chitale went from 126 recorded bearers to 153. That is an increase of 27 (+21.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #133,863 to #119,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Chitale?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chitale, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Chitale in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (143 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chitale appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.5%), White (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Chitale (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 Chitale mean?
A surname of Indian origin meaning "someone from the village Chitali". 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 Chitale (0.05 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 Americans have the surname Chitale?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.