2000
#107,038
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 154
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Chwala
A Polish surname derived from the word "chwała" meaning "glory" or "praise."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 182 Americans carry the last name Chwala. That puts it at #116,252 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,883,266 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chwala 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
182
1 in 1,883,266
Census rank
#116,252
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
159
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 159 bearers of the surname Chwala in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 116252nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chwala, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chwala
The surname CHWALA has its origins in Poland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Polish word "chwała," which translates to "glory" or "praise." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to individuals who were renowned or highly regarded within their communities.
One of the earliest documented instances of the CHWALA surname can be found in the historic records of the Poznan region in western Poland. In a manuscript dated 1587, a landowner named Jan CHWALA is mentioned as a prominent figure in the local community. This provides evidence that the name was already well-established in the area during the late 16th century.
As the name spread across Poland over the following centuries, it also began to appear in various spelling variations, such as CHWALLA, CHWALLA, and CHWAŁŁA. These variations likely arose due to regional dialectal differences and the inconsistent nature of record-keeping during that era.
Notable individuals bearing the CHWALA surname throughout history include:
1. Mikolaj CHWALA (1756-1821), a Polish painter renowned for his religious artwork and frescoes adorning several churches in Krakow.
2. Wladyslaw CHWALA (1887-1964), a Polish military officer who fought in World War I and later served as a diplomat representing Poland in several European countries.
3. Zbigniew CHWALA (1928-2005), a renowned Polish architect responsible for designing numerous iconic buildings in Warsaw, including the Palace of Culture and Science.
4. Marta CHWALA (born 1975), a contemporary Polish writer and poet whose works have been widely acclaimed and translated into multiple languages.
5. Tomasz CHWALA (born 1985), a professional footballer who played as a defender for several Polish clubs, including Lech Poznan and Legia Warsaw.
While the CHWALA surname is primarily concentrated in Poland, it has also been carried by individuals who have migrated to other parts of the world. However, the earliest and most significant historical records of the name can be traced back to its Polish roots, where it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and societal fabric of the nation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chwala
Among Census respondents with the surname Chwala, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Chwala 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 Chwala surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.2% · 153
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 4
- Two or more races1.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chwala
Chwala 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
#116,829
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
-5 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 9,791 places
2020
#116,252
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 159
+10 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 577 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #107,038 | 154 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #116,829 | 149 | 0.05 | -5 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 9,791 places |
| 2020 | #116,252 | 159 | 0.05 | +10 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 577 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 Chwala 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 | #116,829 | #116,252 | 0.5% |
| Count | 149 | 159 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chwala bearers went from 149 to 159 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 577 positions in the national ranking, going from #116,829 to #116,252.
FAQ
Chwala surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chwala?
Name Census estimates that about 182 living Americans carry the surname Chwala. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,883,266 residents.
How common is Chwala?
Chwala ranks #116,252 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 159 people with the surname Chwala. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (182), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Chwala.
Has Chwala become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chwala went from 149 recorded bearers to 159. That is an increase of 10 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #116,829 to #116,252.
What does the Census say about the background of Chwala?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chwala, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Chwala in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.2% (153 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chwala appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.2%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Chwala (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 Chwala mean?
A Polish surname derived from the word "chwała" meaning "glory" or "praise." 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 Chwala (0.05 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 Chwala?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.