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

Chula, 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 Chula surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chula in America

Chula is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chula 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 Chula.

The history of the last name Chula

The surname CHULA has its origins in Spain, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "chulo," which means "pimp" or "gallant." This suggests that the name may have been associated with people who exhibited a charming or flirtatious demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CHULA can be found in the Spanish archives from the 16th century. During this period, the name appeared in documents related to the Spanish Inquisition, suggesting that individuals bearing this surname may have been involved in or affected by the religious persecution of that time.

In the 17th century, the name CHULA was documented in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia and Catalonia. It is possible that the name was associated with specific towns or villages, as many surnames originated from place names during this era.

Notable individuals with the surname CHULA include Juan Chula (1612-1685), a Spanish military officer who fought in the Thirty Years' War. Another prominent figure was María Chula (1745-1822), a Spanish playwright and poet whose works explored themes of love and societal norms.

Moving into the 18th century, the CHULA name continued to appear in Spanish records, particularly in the regions of Castile and Aragon. In 1771, a document mentions a Miguel Chula, a landowner and merchant from the city of Seville.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the CHULA surname also found its way to the Americas. In 1832, a José Chula was recorded as one of the early settlers in the Mexican territory of California. He was a rancher and played a role in the development of the region's agricultural industry.

Throughout the 19th century, individuals with the surname CHULA were documented in various parts of Spain, as well as in Spanish colonies and territories around the world. Some notable figures from this period include Emilia Chula (1855-1912), a renowned Spanish opera singer, and Alejandro Chula (1876-1942), a Cuban politician and diplomat.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chula

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

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

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

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