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

Tallchief, 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 Tallchief surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tallchief in America

Tallchief is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tallchief surname appeared 112 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 Tallchief.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tallchief 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 Tallchief

The surname Tallchief originated from the Native American Osage tribe in present-day Oklahoma, United States. It is believed to have derived from the Osage language phrase "Tally Cheezhee," which translates to "Leader of the Tall Ones" or "Chief of the Tall People."

In the early 19th century, the Osage tribe was a powerful and influential group in the Great Plains region. The Tallchief surname likely emerged as a designation for the leaders or chiefs of the tall Osage warriors, who were known for their impressive stature and physical prowess.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Tallchief can be found in historical documents and records related to the Osage tribe and their interactions with European settlers and the United States government. One notable example is Maria Tallchief, a renowned American prima ballerina of Osage descent, who was born in 1925 and is considered one of the most influential dancers of the 20th century.

Another prominent figure with the Tallchief surname is Maria's sister, Marjorie Tallchief, who was also a celebrated ballerina and the first Native American to become a prima ballerina. She was born in 1926 and had a successful career with the Paris Opera Ballet and other prestigious dance companies.

In the realm of Native American activism and leadership, Charles Tallchief, born in 1929, played a significant role as a member of the Osage Nation Congress and as the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation from 1982 to 1990.

Moving back in time, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the Tallchief surname was Chief Pawhuska, also known as White Hair or Pawhuska Tallchief, who was a prominent leader of the Osage tribe in the early 19th century. He was instrumental in negotiating treaties with the United States government and advocating for the rights and interests of his people.

Another notable figure was Chief Clermont, or Clermont Tallchief, who led the Osage tribe during a period of significant upheaval and conflict in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a crucial role in the tribe's resistance against encroachment and displacement by European settlers and the United States government.

While the Tallchief surname originated from the Osage tribe and has deep roots in Native American history and culture, it has since been adopted and carried on by individuals of various backgrounds and ethnicities, particularly in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tallchief

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

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

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

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