NameCensus.

UK surname

Chard

A habitational surname originating from the English town of Chard.

In the 1881 census there were 1,687 people recorded with the Chard surname, ranking it #2,547 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,164, ranked #2,989, down from #2,547 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Clifton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Cheshire West and Chester and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chard is 2,354 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.3%.

1881 census count

1,687

Ranked #2,547

Modern count

2,164

2016, ranked #2,989

Peak year

1998

2,354 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chard had 1,687 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,547 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,164 in 2016, ranked #2,989.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,225 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chard 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 1,221 #2,334
1861 historical 1,249 #2,280
1881 historical 1,687 #2,547
1891 historical 1,867 #2,470
1901 historical 2,020 #2,648
1911 historical 2,225 #2,269
1997 modern 2,260 #2,747
1998 modern 2,354 #2,754
1999 modern 2,335 #2,787
2000 modern 2,287 #2,822
2001 modern 2,239 #2,815
2002 modern 2,349 #2,759
2003 modern 2,319 #2,738
2004 modern 2,313 #2,737
2005 modern 2,262 #2,758
2006 modern 2,267 #2,756
2007 modern 2,228 #2,825
2008 modern 2,215 #2,868
2009 modern 2,243 #2,902
2010 modern 2,276 #2,923
2011 modern 2,273 #2,888
2012 modern 2,193 #2,926
2013 modern 2,216 #2,943
2014 modern 2,223 #2,954
2015 modern 2,188 #2,968
2016 modern 2,164 #2,989

Geography

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Where Chards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Clifton, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Cheshire West and Chester and Bristol. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Clifton Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 004 Caerphilly
2 Cheshire West and Chester 031 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Caerphilly 003 Caerphilly
4 Bristol 042 Bristol, City of
5 Bristol 044 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chard, 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 Chard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Chard 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, Chard 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

Chard is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chard falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chard 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 Chard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Chard

The surname Chard is an English locational name derived from the village of Chard in Somerset, England. The name is believed to originate from the Old English word "cerd," meaning "turning place" or "bend," referring to a bend in the river or road.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Chard can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cerde." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames and place names in England during the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Cherde," "Cherde," and "Charde," reflecting the evolution of spelling conventions over time. The first documented use of the modern spelling "Chard" dates back to the 14th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Chard throughout history include:

1. John Chard (1833-1897), a British Army officer who gained fame for his defense of Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

2. Sir Richard Chard (1569-1628), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1618.

3. Thomas Chard (1617-1673), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of St. John's College, Oxford, from 1662 to 1673.

4. Henry Chard (1765-1849), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Army Gold Cross for his bravery at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

5. William Chard (1849-1927), a British architect known for designing several notable buildings in London, including the old Whitechapel Art Gallery.

The surname Chard has also been associated with various place names, such as Chard in Somerset, which likely contributed to the origin and spread of the name. Additionally, variations like "Chardstock" and "Chardleigh" have been recorded as place names in Devon, further emphasizing the locational roots of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chard 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. Somerset leads with 375 Chards recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.11x.

County Total Index
Somerset 375 14.11x
Middlesex 266 1.61x
Devon 149 4.34x
Dorset 131 12.09x
Gloucestershire 130 4.02x
Cornwall 99 5.30x
Glamorgan 69 2.40x
Surrey 58 0.72x
Kent 57 1.01x
Wiltshire 54 3.70x
Monmouthshire 40 3.35x
Lancashire 33 0.17x
Staffordshire 28 0.50x
Berkshire 27 2.18x
Hampshire 23 0.68x
Oxfordshire 16 1.57x
Leicestershire 15 0.82x
Anglesey 14 4.79x
Essex 13 0.40x
Yorkshire 11 0.07x
Northumberland 10 0.41x
Suffolk 10 0.50x
Herefordshire 8 1.18x
Cheshire 6 0.16x
Lincolnshire 6 0.23x
Sussex 6 0.22x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.72x
Worcestershire 5 0.23x
Cumberland 4 0.28x
Dumfriesshire 4 1.10x
Midlothian 4 0.18x
Royal Navy 4 2.03x
Hertfordshire 3 0.26x
Lanarkshire 2 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.10x
Channel Islands 1 0.20x
Fife 1 0.10x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Warwickshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Falmouth in Cornwall leads with 62 Chards recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.74x.

Place Total Index
Falmouth 62 93.74x
Bedminster 51 20.43x
St Pancras London 40 3.01x
Clifton 33 20.17x
St Marylebone London 28 3.18x
Westbury 28 82.18x
Mile End Old Town London 25 7.12x
Lambeth 22 1.53x
St Ives 22 60.16x
Bradpole 21 236.49x
West Monkton 21 358.97x
Clerkenwell London 20 5.13x
Islington London 20 1.25x
Stone Easton 20 990.10x
Wellington 20 55.52x
Wolverhampton 20 4.67x
Paddington London 19 3.13x
Bridport 18 80.72x
Hammersmith London 18 4.43x
Reading St Mary 18 18.14x
Wrington 18 201.79x
Cardiff St Mary 17 10.74x
Stoke Damerel 16 6.65x
Wraxall 16 315.58x
Amlwch 14 50.85x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 4.59x
Shoreditch London 14 1.96x
Bristol St James St Paul 12 11.12x
Keynsham 12 62.89x
St George Hanover Square 12 4.13x
Chard 11 34.18x
Chew Stoke 11 279.90x
Ottery St Mary 11 48.80x
Pitney 11 607.73x
Westbury On Trym 11 10.03x
Banbury 10 49.00x
Binegar 10 662.25x
Cameley 10 335.57x
Churchstanton 10 237.53x
Crewkerne 10 35.44x
Leicester St Margaret 10 2.24x
Loders 10 185.87x
Melksham 10 39.45x
Netherbury 10 111.73x
Parkstone 10 79.11x
St Andrew Holborn London 10 13.99x
St John Near Swansea 10 28.14x
Trevethin 10 8.87x
Trowbridge 10 15.50x
West Ham 10 1.39x
Berkeley 9 49.97x
Bristol St Paul In 9 10.44x
Creech St Michael 9 135.75x
Llandaff 9 9.41x
Stoke Abbott 9 289.39x
Aconbury 8 888.89x
Charlton Adam 8 340.43x
Chatham 8 5.16x
Christchurch 8 21.67x
Deptford St Paul 8 1.84x
Farringdon 8 470.59x
Kensington London 8 0.87x
Llanblethian 8 195.60x
Melcombe Regis 8 17.82x
Shepton Mallet 8 26.84x
West Camel 8 503.14x
Yeovil 8 14.82x
Bedwellty 7 3.32x
Burstow 7 102.64x
Chepstow 7 34.45x
Honiton 7 36.82x
Kelsale 7 125.45x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 10.06x
North Cadbury 7 137.80x
Oldham 7 1.11x
Roath 7 5.36x
St Giles Cripplegate 7 31.95x
Stroud 7 11.11x
Llanwonno 6 5.81x
Sydling St Nicholas 6 189.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 108
Elizabeth 71
Sarah 46
Emma 41
Ann 31
Jane 31
Ellen 30
Eliza 28
Alice 27
Louisa 21
Annie 16
Caroline 16
Emily 15
Ada 14
Kate 12
Fanny 11
Florence 11
Frances 11
Bessie 10
Charlotte 10
Clara 10
Harriet 10
Martha 10
Amelia 9
Catherine 9
Edith 8
Hannah 8
Anna 7
Julia 7
Susan 7
Agnes 6
Anne 6
Laura 6
Lucy 6
Margaret 6
Elizth. 5
Ethel 5
Harriett 5
Rose 5
Maria 4
Beatrice 3
Blanch 3
Eleanor 3
Henrietta 3
Isabella 3
Lydia 3
Mercy 3
Rebecca 3
Rosa 3
Selina 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 123
John 81
Henry 47
Thomas 46
James 44
George 39
Charles 35
Edward 29
Alfred 24
Joseph 22
Robert 19
Frederick 18
Arthur 17
Albert 16
Richard 15
Samuel 15
Edwin 14
Ernest 13
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Walter 9
Fred 6
Isaac 6
Oliver 6
Sidney 6
David 4
Elias 4
Harry 4
Wm. 4
Francis 3
Sydney 3
Tom 3
Anthony 2
Benjamin 2
Cecil 2
Clement 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Ebenezer 2
Jacob 2
Jesse 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Roland 2
Rowland 2
Thos. 2
Valentine 2
Willm. 2
Duglas 1

FAQ

Chard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,687 people were recorded with the Chard surname. That placed it at #2,547 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,164 in 2016. That gives Chard a modern rank of #2,989.

What does the Chard surname mean?

A habitational surname originating from the English town of Chard.

What does the Chard map show?

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