Explore the Family Name Chiaro
The meaning of Chiaro
Italian: from the personal name Chiaro, from Latin Clarus meaning ‘light, famous’; alternatively, the name may simply have arisen as a nickname from chiaro ‘fair, clear’, ‘light’. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Rocco, Augustino, Antonio, Carmelo, Pasquale, Salvatore, Santo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chiaro in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Chiaro saw a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 46,083 in terms of popularity but climbed to the rank of 42,308 a decade later, reflecting an 8.19 percent increase. The count of individuals with the surname also rose from 436 in 2000 to 513 in 2010, marking a substantial 17.66 percent growth. The proportion of people with the surname per 100,000 population slightly increased by 6.25 percent from 0.16 to 0.17 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #46,083 | #42,308 | 8.19% |
| Count | 436 | 513 | 17.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.17 | 6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chiaro
The ethnicity associated with the surname Chiaro also experienced some shifts over the same decade, as outlined in the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, nearly 95 percent of people with the Chiaro surname identified as white, but this percentage decreased slightly to approximately 92.40 percent by 2010. The Hispanic population with this surname showed a small decline of 4.36 percent. Interestingly, the census reported for the first time associations of the Chiaro surname with Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying with two or more races, accounting for 1.36 percent and 1.17 percent respectively in 2010. Data for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities were not available or suppressed for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.95% | 92.4% | -2.69% |
| Hispanic | 3.67% | 3.51% | -4.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.36% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.17% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |