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

Chok, 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 Chok surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chok in America

Chok is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chok surname appeared 127 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 Chok.

The history of the last name Chok

The surname CHOK has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, likely from the Sanskrit language or one of its derivatives. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 8th to 10th century CE, during the height of the Hindu and Buddhist empires that ruled over much of South Asia.

One possible derivation is from the Sanskrit word "choka," which can mean "bright" or "brilliant." It may have been used to describe someone with a radiant personality or physical appearance. Another theory links it to the word "chok," meaning "summit" or "peak," potentially referring to someone living in a mountainous region.

The earliest known records of the CHOK surname can be found in ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts, as well as in local administrative documents from various kingdoms and empires that spanned the Indian subcontinent. One notable individual was Chok Narayanan, a renowned Hindu scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE and authored several works on philosophy and religion.

As trade and migration patterns expanded, the CHOK name spread across the region, with variations in spelling emerging in different languages and dialects. For instance, in Bengal, it was sometimes written as "Chowk," while in parts of southern India, it took on the form "Chokkan."

During the Mughal Empire's rule over much of South Asia from the 16th to 19th centuries, several notable figures bore the CHOK surname. One such individual was Chok Khan, a military commander who served under the famous Mughal emperor Akbar in the late 16th century.

As the British Empire expanded its influence in India in the 18th and 19th centuries, the CHOK name appeared in various colonial records and documents. One prominent example was Chok Ram, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bengal who played a significant role in facilitating trade between the British East India Company and local producers.

Another notable figure was Chok Hari Desai, a social reformer and educator from Gujarat who fought against the practice of child marriage and advocated for women's education in the late 19th century.

In more recent times, the CHOK surname has been carried by individuals across various fields, including literature, politics, and sports. For instance, Chok Nath Sharma was an acclaimed Hindi writer and poet from the 20th century, while Chok Tsering was a prominent Tibetan diplomat and political leader who played a key role in the Tibetan independence movement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chok

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

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

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

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