Explore the Family Name Chimera
The meaning of Chimera
Italian (southern): habitational name from a place in Sicily named Chimera, from chimera ‘kid, young goat’, from Greek chimaira. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Cosimo, Domenica.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chimera in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Chimera saw a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked 59,769th most popular, but by 2010, it had climbed to 58,876th position, indicating a slight growth of 1.49%. The number of individuals carrying the Chimera name also increased from 316 to 344 during this period, showing an 8.86% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #59,769 | #58,876 | 1.49% |
| Count | 316 | 344 | 8.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chimera
Concerning ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Chimera identify as White. This group made up 97.47% of Chimeras in 2000, decreasing marginally to 96.51% in 2010. Interestingly, there were no individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either 2000 or 2010. However, there was a small emergence of Hispanic identity among those with the surname, which was not present in the 2000 data but accounted for 2.62% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.47% | 96.51% | -0.98% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.62% | 0% |
| 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% |