2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chopelas
A Romanian occupational surname related to hats or headgear.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Chopelas. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chopelas 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Chopelas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chopelas, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chopelas
The surname CHOPELAS is of Spanish origin, with roots tracing back to the 14th century in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "chopela," which referred to a type of oak tree commonly found in the region.
In the early days, CHOPELAS was predominantly found in the northern regions of Spain, particularly in the areas of Galicia and Asturias. Records indicate that the name was often associated with families involved in forestry or timber-related occupations, likely due to its connection with the oak tree.
One of the earliest documented references to the name CHOPELAS can be found in the 15th century archives of the town of Lugo, Galicia. A certain Juan CHOPELAS is mentioned as a landowner and prominent figure in the local community during that period.
As the centuries passed, the CHOPELAS surname spread across Spain and eventually to other parts of the world through immigration and exploration. Notable individuals bearing this surname include:
1. Diego CHOPELAS (1602-1667), a Spanish navigator who accompanied several expeditions to the Americas and contributed to the mapping of the Caribbean Sea.
2. María CHOPELAS (1765-1832), a renowned Spanish poet and writer from Seville, whose works were widely celebrated during the Romantic era.
3. Rodrigo CHOPELAS (1879-1942), a Spanish-born painter and sculptor who spent a significant portion of his career in France, contributing to the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements.
4. Javier CHOPELAS (1912-1987), a Spanish-American physicist and inventor, known for his groundbreaking work in the field of optics and the development of the first liquid crystal display (LCD) technology.
5. Lucía CHOPELAS (born 1968), a contemporary Spanish author and journalist, recognized for her insightful novels and essays exploring societal issues and human relationships.
While the CHOPELAS surname has experienced some variations in spelling over the centuries, such as Chopela, Chopelas, and Chopeles, its essence and connection to the oak tree have remained intact, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Spain and the lasting impact of this family name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chopelas
Among Census respondents with the surname Chopelas, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chopelas 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 Chopelas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 93
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.0% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 2
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chopelas
Chopelas 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,663 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-6 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 1,098 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,663 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 1,098 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 Chopelas 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 | #154,907 | #156,005 | -0.7% |
| Count | 105 | 99 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chopelas bearers went from 105 to 99 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 1,098 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #156,005.
FAQ
Chopelas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chopelas?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Chopelas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Chopelas?
Chopelas ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Chopelas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Chopelas.
Has Chopelas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chopelas went from 105 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #154,907 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Chopelas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chopelas, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chopelas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chopelas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Chopelas (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 Chopelas mean?
A Romanian occupational surname related to hats or headgear. 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 Chopelas (0.03 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 Chopelas?
Want to know how many people have the surname Chopelas? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.