NameCensus.

UK surname

Chana

A common surname originating from India, meaning a type of pulse or grain.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Chana surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,202, ranked #2,945, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chana is 2,358 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36600.0%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

2,202

2016, ranked #2,945

Peak year

2010

2,358 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chana had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,202 in 2016, ranked #2,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Chana surname distribution map

The map shows where the Chana surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Chana surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chana over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 8 #31,867
1861 historical 12 #32,329
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 14 #33,037
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1997 modern 1,664 #3,571
1998 modern 1,741 #3,564
1999 modern 1,765 #3,539
2000 modern 1,846 #3,387
2001 modern 1,802 #3,389
2002 modern 1,972 #3,209
2003 modern 2,040 #3,066
2004 modern 2,096 #2,989
2005 modern 2,091 #2,952
2006 modern 2,084 #2,971
2007 modern 2,135 #2,932
2008 modern 2,200 #2,882
2009 modern 2,258 #2,884
2010 modern 2,358 #2,830
2011 modern 2,350 #2,806
2012 modern 2,204 #2,914
2013 modern 2,280 #2,881
2014 modern 2,276 #2,893
2015 modern 2,235 #2,908
2016 modern 2,202 #2,945

Geography

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Where Chanas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ealing and Bolton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ealing 026 Ealing
2 Ealing 023 Ealing
3 Ealing 037 Ealing
4 Ealing 017 Ealing
5 Bolton 005 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chana

These lists show first names that appear often with the Chana surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chana

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chana, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Chana surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Chana household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Chana is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chana is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chana falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chana is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Chana, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Chana

The surname "CHANA" has its origins in India and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "chana," which means chickpea or gram. This suggests that the name may have originated from an occupation or trade related to the cultivation or processing of chickpeas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "CHANA" can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar. It mentioned individuals with this surname living in various parts of the Mughal Empire, particularly in the region that is now modern-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in several regional records and manuscripts, including land ownership documents and village census records. These records often referred to individuals with the surname "CHANA" as landowners, farmers, or traders involved in the agricultural sector.

Among the notable individuals with the surname "CHANA" throughout history was Kashi Nath Chana (1838-1924), a prominent Indian businessman and philanthropist from Lahore, who played a significant role in the development of the city's infrastructure and educational institutions.

Another notable figure was Satya Vrat Chana (1888-1969), an Indian freedom fighter and politician who actively participated in the Indian independence movement and later served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

In the literary world, Gian Singh Chana (1907-1996) was a renowned Punjabi poet and writer whose works explored themes of social justice, patriotism, and the human condition.

Mehr Chand Chana (1911-1988) was a distinguished Indian civil servant who held various high-ranking positions in the Indian Administrative Service and was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honors in India, for his contributions.

More recently, Manmohan Singh Chana (born 1934) is a prominent Indian physicist and academic who has made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and has been recognized with several prestigious awards and honors.

While the surname "CHANA" is primarily associated with India, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be firmly traced back to the Indian subcontinent, where it has a rich historical significance and cultural connection.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chana families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chana surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Worcestershire leads with 6 Chanas recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.64x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 6 78.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wollescote in Worcestershire leads with 6 Chanas recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Wollescote 6 10000.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Chana surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Eve 1
Mary 1
Myra 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Chana surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Albert 1
Thimothy 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Chana households.

FAQ

Chana surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chana surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Chana surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chana surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,202 in 2016. That gives Chana a modern rank of #2,945.

What does the Chana surname mean?

A common surname originating from India, meaning a type of pulse or grain.

What does the Chana map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Chana bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.