Explore the Family Name Chelius
The meaning of Chelius
German: humanistic surname, a translation into Latin of German Kiste, a metonymic occupational name for a maker of chests or boxes, or any of its cognates such as Kistner, from Greek chēlos ‘box, chest’. History: This surname was adopted in the early 16th century by Pankratius Chelius, Lutheran pastor of Oberwiddersheim, Hesse. His original German surname was Kiste.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chelius in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Chelius has seen a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 56,526 in popularity with 338 individuals carrying the name, representing about 0.13 per 100k of the population. By 2010, although the count increased to 355, the rank slipped to 57,372 and the proportion per 100k dropped to 0.12, showing a -1.5% change in rank and -7.69% change in proportion.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #56,526 | #57,372 | -1.5% |
| Count | 338 | 355 | 5.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.12 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chelius
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the predominant ethnicity associated with the surname Chelius is White, although there has been a decrease in this percentage from 97.04% in 2000 to 93.80% in 2010. The Hispanic representation has nearly doubled over this decade, increasing from 2.37% to 4.51%. There were no recorded instances of the surname among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.04% | 93.8% | -3.34% |
| Hispanic | 2.37% | 4.51% | 90.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |