Find out how popular the last name Chitay is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Chitay.
A surname of Sanskrit origin meaning "intelligent" or "wise".
Chitay, 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 Chitay surname is from the 2010 census data.
Chitay is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Chitay surname appeared 109 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 Chitay.
The surname CHITAY traces its origins back to the Indian subcontinent, with the earliest known records of the name appearing in the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word "Chitta," which means "mind" or "consciousness," suggesting a connection to the philosophical and spiritual traditions of ancient India.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CHITAY can be found in a manuscript dating back to the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605). This document, a collection of court records, mentions a scribe named Chitay Lal, who served in the imperial court during that period.
The name CHITAY also appears in several historical texts from the region, including the "Ain-i-Akbari," a comprehensive account of the Mughal administration written by Abul Fazl, Akbar's vizier. This work mentions a nobleman named Chitay Khan, who held a high-ranking position in the Mughal court.
As the centuries passed, the CHITAY surname spread across the Indian subcontinent and beyond. In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Chitay Singh rose to prominence in the princely state of Jaipur, where he served as a trusted advisor to the ruling Maharaja.
During the British colonial era, the CHITAY surname was also found among the Indian diaspora in various parts of the British Empire. One notable individual was Chitay Narayan, a wealthy merchant who settled in Singapore in the early 19th century and played a pivotal role in establishing trade routes between India and Southeast Asia.
Another prominent figure with the surname CHITAY was Chitay Ramaswamy, a renowned scholar and educator who lived in the 19th century. Born in Tamil Nadu, he made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian literature and philosophy, publishing several influential works on these subjects.
As the centuries progressed, the CHITAY surname continued to be carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, writers, and academics. In the 20th century, Chitay Vaidyanathan, a celebrated classical dancer, gained international recognition for her performances and efforts to promote the traditional dance forms of India.
While the surname CHITAY may have evolved and taken on various spellings over time, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Indian subcontinent, carrying with it a sense of intellectual curiosity and a connection to ancient wisdom.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Chitay.
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 Chitay was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 97.25% | 106 |
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.
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 Chitay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/chitay-surname-popularity/">Chitay last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Chitay last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 19, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/chitay-surname-popularity/.
"Chitay last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/chitay-surname-popularity/. Accessed 19 July, 2025
Chitay last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/chitay-surname-popularity/.
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