Explore the Family Name Chetty
The meaning of Chetty
Indian and Sri Lankan: from a variant of the ancient Tamil honorific title chettiar, used by a merchant caste in Tamil-speaking lands. The Chettiar claim that they have a relationship with Murugan, the Tamil god of war and victory.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chetty in the United States?
Based on the decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Chetty" has seen a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. It rose from a rank of 70,273 to 61,297, marking a change of approximately 12.77%. The number of people possessing this surname has also grown, with the count moving from 260 to 328, an increase of 26.15%. The proportion per 100,000 people also increased by 10%, indicating that more Americans are associated with the Chetty surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #70,273 | #61,297 | 12.77% |
| Count | 260 | 328 | 26.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.11 | 10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chetty
In terms of ethnic identity, the decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals with the Chetty surname who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander increased from 66.15% to 68.90%. However, there was a decrease in those identifying with two or more races, falling from 11.54% to 10.06%. The number of White individuals with the Chetty surname slightly decreased during this period as well, going from 15.77% to 15.24%. The proportions of Hispanic and Black individuals saw reductions, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained the same, with no reported individuals.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 66.15% | 68.9% | 4.16% |
| White | 15.77% | 15.24% | -3.36% |
| Two or More Races | 11.54% | 10.06% | -12.82% |
| Black | 4.23% | 3.96% | -6.38% |
| Hispanic | 2.31% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |