NameCensus.

UK surname

Chaffey

A place name derived from the Old English word "cæfïc," meaning a chaff-strewn area.

In the 1881 census there were 477 people recorded with the Chaffey surname, ranking it #7,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 661, ranked #8,066, down from #7,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Poole St James, London parishes and Canford Magna. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, West Dorset and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chaffey is 713 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.6%.

1881 census count

477

Ranked #7,014

Modern count

661

2016, ranked #8,066

Peak year

1911

713 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chaffey had 477 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 661 in 2016, ranked #8,066.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 713 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chaffey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chaffey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chaffey 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 314 #7,361
1861 historical 387 #6,620
1881 historical 477 #7,014
1891 historical 563 #6,744
1901 historical 617 #6,917
1911 historical 713 #5,983
1997 modern 673 #7,465
1998 modern 696 #7,505
1999 modern 682 #7,669
2000 modern 690 #7,573
2001 modern 682 #7,505
2002 modern 677 #7,711
2003 modern 681 #7,558
2004 modern 680 #7,575
2005 modern 659 #7,694
2006 modern 652 #7,782
2007 modern 644 #7,920
2008 modern 648 #7,930
2009 modern 668 #7,913
2010 modern 681 #7,943
2011 modern 687 #7,803
2012 modern 662 #7,949
2013 modern 676 #7,960
2014 modern 681 #7,952
2015 modern 657 #8,121
2016 modern 661 #8,066

Geography

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Where Chaffeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Poole St James, London parishes, Canford Magna, Milton Abbas, Winterbourne Whitechurch, Owermoigne, Cheselborne and Stoke-under-Hamdon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, West Dorset, Northumberland and North Dorset. 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 Poole St James Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Canford Magna Dorset
4 Milton Abbas, Winterbourne Whitechurch, Owermoigne, Cheselborne Dorset
5 Stoke-under-Hamdon Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 019 South Cambridgeshire
2 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
3 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
4 Northumberland 039 Northumberland
5 North Dorset 006 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chaffey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chaffey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chaffey, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Chaffey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Chaffey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Chaffey is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chaffey is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chaffey falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chaffey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Chaffey

The surname CHAFFEY is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'ceaf' meaning chaff or husks of grain, and 'ey' meaning an island or dry ground surrounded by water or marsh. The name likely originated in the county of Somerset, England, during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Chaveia', referring to a place name in Somerset. This suggests the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or came from a place called Chaffey or a similar variation.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as 'Chavey' and 'Chaveye' in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Somerset from 1273. This indicates the surname's evolution from its Old English roots to a more modern spelling.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname CHAFFEY include:

1. Richard Chaffey (1684-1756), an English landowner and farmer from Somerset. 2. William Chaffey (1826-1926), a Canadian-American engineer and land developer who founded the town of Ontario, California, and played a significant role in the development of irrigation systems in the southwestern United States.

3. George Chaffey (1848-1932), William Chaffey's brother, who co-founded the town of Mildura in Victoria, Australia, and was instrumental in establishing the region's irrigation and agricultural industries.

4. Benjamin Chaffey (1865-1943), a New Zealand politician and member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 1923 to 1943.

5. Arthur Chaffey (1883-1971), an Australian politician and member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1931 to 1946, representing the United Australia Party.

The surname CHAFFEY has also been associated with various place names, such as Chaffey's Locks and Chaffey's Flats in Ontario, Canada, named after the Chaffey brothers who were involved in the development of those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chaffey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chaffey 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. Dorset leads with 163 Chaffeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.15x.

County Total Index
Dorset 163 53.15x
Somerset 86 11.43x
Hampshire 51 5.33x
Middlesex 50 1.07x
Surrey 39 1.71x
Kent 19 1.19x
Devon 17 1.75x
Essex 12 1.30x
Gloucestershire 9 0.98x
Wiltshire 9 2.18x
Oxfordshire 5 1.73x
Yorkshire 5 0.11x
Durham 4 0.29x
Monmouthshire 3 0.89x
Channel Islands 1 0.72x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Derbyshire 1 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Under Hambdon in Somerset leads with 15 Chaffeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 607.29x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Under Hambdon 15 607.29x
Lambeth 14 3.44x
Longfleet 14 394.37x
Yeovil 14 91.62x
Stoke Newington London 12 32.98x
West Ham 12 5.89x
Christchurch 10 48.15x
Axminster 9 197.37x
Battersea 9 5.23x
Bridport 9 142.63x
Holdenhurst 9 35.83x
Lewisham 9 10.59x
Beaminster 8 234.60x
Brading 8 62.84x
Portsea 8 4.26x
Shoreditch London 8 3.95x
Bere Regis 7 341.46x
Burstock 7 2333.33x
Clapham 7 11.98x
Corfe Castle 7 246.48x
Enfield 7 22.83x
Keinton Mandeville 7 813.95x
Montacute 7 507.25x
Southampton St Mary 7 11.62x
Box 6 170.45x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 6 71.86x
Canford Magna 6 338.98x
Ilminster 6 114.29x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 8.01x
Poole St James 6 52.08x
Pulham 6 1395.35x
St George Martyr London 6 63.42x
Taunton St James 6 54.69x
Winterborne Zelstone 6 2608.70x
Abbotsbury 5 318.47x
Bedminster 5 7.08x
Bryanstone 5 1190.48x
Chard 5 54.88x
Deptford St Paul 5 4.07x
Hilton 5 471.70x
Kensington London 5 1.92x
Lytchett Minster 5 367.65x
Newington 5 2.90x
Wimborne Minster 5 100.81x
Winterborne Houghton 5 1250.00x
Blandford Forum 4 66.12x
Dewsbury 4 8.42x
Enstone 4 225.99x
Farlington 4 204.08x
Frampton 4 597.01x
Milton Abbas 4 266.67x
Shepton Mallet 4 47.39x
South Petherton 4 103.09x
Stranton 4 8.55x
Street 4 98.28x
Symondsbury 4 205.13x
Wareham St Martin 4 341.88x
West Lulworth 4 740.74x
Carisbrooke 3 22.56x
Croydon 3 2.37x
Hamworthy 3 280.37x
Okeford Fitzpaine 3 306.12x
Trevethin 3 9.40x
Allington 2 73.26x
Almer 2 869.57x
Blandford St Mary 2 344.83x
Buckland Ripers 2 800.00x
Charlton Marshall 2 192.31x
Hawkhurst 2 40.40x
Hillingdon 2 13.42x
Holwell 2 298.51x
Kinson 2 33.39x
Paddington London 2 1.16x
Penselwood 2 298.51x
Potterne Worton 2 370.37x
Taunton St Mary 2 14.48x
Tonbridge 2 3.48x
Westminster St James 2 4.16x
Weston Super Mare 2 10.53x
Winfrith Newburgh 2 129.87x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 28
James 21
George 15
Thomas 14
Charles 12
Henry 11
Joseph 9
Arthur 8
Frederick 7
Edwin 6
Samuel 6
Edward 5
Harry 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Alfred 2
Benj. 2
Ebenezer 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
S. 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Burnard 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Eustace 1
Freddy 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Lionel 1
Percy 1
Prosser 1
Richd 1
Sammuel 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Tom. 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Chaffey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chaffey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 477 people were recorded with the Chaffey surname. That placed it at #7,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chaffey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 661 in 2016. That gives Chaffey a modern rank of #8,066.

What does the Chaffey surname mean?

A place name derived from the Old English word "cæfïc," meaning a chaff-strewn area.

What does the Chaffey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Chaffey 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.