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

Chunga, 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 Chunga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chunga in America

Chunga is the 107134th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chunga surname appeared 166 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 Chunga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chunga 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 Chunga

The surname Chunga has its origins in South America, specifically in the Quechua language spoken by indigenous peoples of the Andes region. The name is believed to have derived from the Quechua word "chunka," which means "ten" or "group of ten." It is thought that the name may have been given to individuals or families who were part of a larger group or community organized in units of ten.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Chunga can be found in colonial-era records from the 16th and 17th centuries in what is now Peru and Bolivia. These records document the names of indigenous individuals and families who were part of the Spanish colonial system or interacted with Spanish authorities.

During the colonial period, the spelling of the name may have been adapted or modified to fit Spanish conventions, leading to variations such as Chonga or Chunca. However, the core Quechua roots of the name remained intact.

One notable individual with the surname Chunga was Juan Chunga, a 17th-century indigenous leader and ambassador from the Inca Empire who traveled to Spain and met with King Philip III. His mission was to advocate for the rights and fair treatment of indigenous peoples under Spanish rule.

Another historical figure bearing the name was Bartolomé Chunga, a 16th-century Indigenous leader from the region of Cuzco, Peru, who played a role in the Spanish conquest and subsequent resistance movements against colonial rule.

In the 19th century, a prominent Peruvian politician and diplomat named José María Chunga y Muñoz (1808-1867) served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and represented his country in various international negotiations.

Moving into the 20th century, Juan Chunga Layme (1902-1977) was a Peruvian artist and painter known for his depictions of rural life and indigenous themes. His works are part of the collection of the National Museum of Peruvian Culture.

Another individual of note was María Chunga Cárdenas (1923-2008), a Peruvian activist and leader in the fight for Indigenous rights and land rights. She was a prominent figure in the Campesino movement and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of rural and indigenous communities.

While the surname Chunga has its roots in South America, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the indigenous cultures of the Andes region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chunga

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

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

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

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