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

Chughtai, 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 Chughtai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chughtai in America

Chughtai is the 46404th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chughtai surname appeared 459 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 Chughtai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chughtai to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Chughtai

The surname Chughtai originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the region of Punjab. It is believed to have its roots in the Persian language, where "Chughta" or "Chughtai" referred to a falconer or a person who trained and cared for hunting falcons.

The name Chughtai can be traced back to the medieval period when falconry was a popular pastime among the nobility and ruling classes in the Indian subcontinent. It is possible that the earliest bearers of this surname were falconers employed by the royal households or prominent families.

While there are no definitive historical records mentioning the name Chughtai in ancient manuscripts or documents like the Domesday Book, the name has been documented in various regional records and accounts from the 16th century onwards.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Chughtai was Mir Ghulam Ali Chughtai (1850-1926), a renowned Urdu poet and scholar from British India. He was widely acclaimed for his poetic works and contributed significantly to the literary landscape of his time.

Another notable figure was Abdur Rahman Chughtai (1897-1975), a renowned artist from British India (now Pakistan). He is considered one of the most influential painters of the South Asian region and is celebrated for his unique style that blended traditional and modern elements.

In the field of literature, Ismat Chughtai (1915-1991) was a pioneering Urdu writer and novelist from British India. Her works tackled social issues and women's perspectives, challenging societal norms and earning her both acclaim and controversy.

Moving to more recent times, Jamal Chughtai (1926-2004) was a prominent Pakistani diplomat and scholar. He served as Pakistan's ambassador to several countries and was also a respected author and academic.

Lastly, Shaan Chughtai (born 1980) is a contemporary Pakistani singer, songwriter, and actor who has gained significant popularity in the South Asian music industry, particularly for his contributions to films and television.

While the surname Chughtai is predominantly found in Pakistan and India, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chughtai

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

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 Chughtai 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Chughtai has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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