Explore the Family Name Cherian
The meaning of Cherian
Indian (Kerala): from the personal name Cherian, found among Christians in southern India. It is derived from the Hebrew-Aramaic name Zecharya, a variant of Zacharias, with the Tamil-Malayalam third person singular suffix -n. — Note: Since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Babu, Oommen, Shaji, Sunil, Varughese, Biju, Binny, Eapen, Jaya, Jayan, Mathai, Ninan. Jewish Yohannan.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cherian in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Cherian has grown in popularity significantly between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 18,345 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010, it had jumped to rank 14,485 – a substantial increase of 21.04%. Additionally, the count of people bearing the Cherian surname rose from 1,393 to 2,061 during this time period, marking an impressive growth of 47.95%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people also increased from 0.52 to 0.7, reflecting a 34.62% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,345 | #14,485 | 21.04% |
| Count | 1,393 | 2,061 | 47.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.52 | 0.7 | 34.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cherian
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Cherian identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010. This group experienced a slight uptick from 88.94% to 92.48%, suggesting a stronger association with this ethnic identity over time. Other ethnic groups associated with the surname showed more fluctuation. Those identifying as having two or more races fell dramatically from 6.25% to 2.43%, while those identifying as White saw a slight increase from 2.66% to 3.25%. The numbers for Hispanic and Black identities decreased slightly, whereas American Indian and Alaskan Native remained almost consistent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 88.94% | 92.48% | 3.98% |
| White | 2.66% | 3.25% | 22.18% |
| Two or More Races | 6.25% | 2.43% | -61.12% |
| Hispanic | 1.01% | 0.92% | -8.91% |
| Black | 0.72% | 0.49% | -31.94% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.43% | 0.44% | 2.33% |