2000
#12,654
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,242
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Chunn
A surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cyne," meaning "bold" or "fierce."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,598 Americans carry the last name Chunn. That puts it at #12,959 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 131,930 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chunn 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
2.6K
1 in 131,930
Census rank
#12,959
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,266 bearers of the surname Chunn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12959th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chunn, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.9%. The next largest groups are Black (23.6%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chunn
The surname CHUNN has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cyning," meaning "king," suggesting that the name may have been given to those with a regal or authoritative bearing.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I. This document mentions a certain "Robert le Chunn," indicating that the name was already in use at that time.
During the medieval period, the name CHUNN was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. It is likely that the name originated in this region and later spread to other parts of the country.
In the 16th century, the name CHUNN appeared in various spellings, including "Chunn," "Chunne," and "Chun," reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling that were common during that era. One notable figure from this time was William Chunn (c. 1520-1592), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk.
As the centuries progressed, the CHUNN surname continued to be found in historical records across England. Notable individuals bearing this name include:
1. Sir John Chunn (1630-1692), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of England during the reign of King William III.
2. Elizabeth Chunn (1734-1811), a celebrated author and poet whose works were widely acclaimed in literary circles of the 18th century.
3. Admiral Thomas Chunn (1768-1841), a renowned naval officer who played a crucial role in several key battles during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Sir Arthur Chunn (1819-1891), a renowned explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in Africa and Asia.
5. Emily Chunn (1871-1945), an influential social reformer and advocate for women's rights, who founded several charitable organizations in London.
While the surname CHUNN has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and exploration. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient lands of East Anglia, where it first emerged as a mark of distinction and authority.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chunn
Among Census respondents with the surname Chunn, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.9%. The next largest groups are Black (23.6%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chunn 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 Chunn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.9% · 1,494
- Black or African American23.6% · 535
- Two or more races5.0% · 114
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.1% · 71
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 46
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chunn
Chunn 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
#12,850
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,396
+154 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Down 196 places
2020
#12,959
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,266
-130 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 109 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,654 | 2,242 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,850 | 2,396 | 0.81 | +154 bearers (+6.9%) | Down 196 places |
| 2020 | #12,959 | 2,266 | 0.76 | -130 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 109 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 Chunn 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 | #12,850 | #12,959 | -0.8% |
| Count | 2,396 | 2,266 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.81 | 0.76 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chunn bearers went from 2,396 to 2,266 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 109 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,850 to #12,959.
FAQ
Chunn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chunn?
Name Census estimates that about 2,598 living Americans carry the surname Chunn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 131,930 residents.
How common is Chunn?
Chunn ranks #12,959 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,266 people with the surname Chunn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,598), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.76 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Chunn.
Has Chunn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chunn went from 2,396 recorded bearers to 2,266. That is a decrease of 130 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,850 to #12,959.
What does the Census say about the background of Chunn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chunn, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.9%. The next largest groups are Black (23.6%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Chunn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.9% (1,494 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chunn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.9%), Black (23.6%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Chunn (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 Chunn mean?
A surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cyne," meaning "bold" or "fierce." 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 Chunn (0.76 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 surname Chunn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.