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Chern Family History

Chern Surname Meaning

Chinese: variant of Chen 1 and Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 莊 possibly based on its Teochew pronunciation see Zhuang. American shortened form of whichever of mainly East Slavic and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) surnames beginning with Chern- or Čern- and directly or indirectly derived from a Slavic adjective meaning ‘black dark’ (see Cherny)

e.g. Ukrainian Chernoshtan a nickname based on a Russian-influenced form of Ukrainian chornoshtan ‘one with black trousers’. Compare Cherne

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Chern family from?

You can see how Chern families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chern family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Chern families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 3 Chern families living in Kentucky. This was about 75% of all the recorded Chern's in USA. Kentucky had the highest population of Chern families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chern surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Chern ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chern. 29% of Chern men worked as a Salesman and 34% of Chern women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chern were Elevator Operator and Housewife.

View Census Data for Chern | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    29%
  • Farmer
    22%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Elevator Operator
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    34%
  • Housework
    34%
  • Housewife
    34%

What Chern family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Chern. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chern census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Chern

Passenger Lists

There are 423 immigration records available for the last name Chern. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 319 military records available for the last name Chern. For the veterans among your Chern ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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