NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheek

An English nickname for someone with rosy or prominent cheeks, or a bold, impudent person.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Cheek surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 788, ranked #7,006, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fingringhoe, East Donyland, Newchurch and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, Isle of Wight and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheek is 907 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.8%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

788

2016, ranked #7,006

Peak year

1998

907 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cheek had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 788 in 2016, ranked #7,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 763 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cheek surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheek surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheek 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 355 #6,654
1861 historical 254 #9,741
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 535 #7,026
1901 historical 719 #6,142
1911 historical 763 #5,670
1997 modern 889 #6,021
1998 modern 907 #6,122
1999 modern 898 #6,210
2000 modern 879 #6,283
2001 modern 851 #6,330
2002 modern 874 #6,321
2003 modern 850 #6,347
2004 modern 841 #6,399
2005 modern 810 #6,547
2006 modern 788 #6,710
2007 modern 802 #6,667
2008 modern 800 #6,743
2009 modern 818 #6,752
2010 modern 820 #6,876
2011 modern 824 #6,781
2012 modern 803 #6,811
2013 modern 811 #6,866
2014 modern 802 #6,989
2015 modern 788 #7,016
2016 modern 788 #7,006

Geography

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Where Cheeks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fingringhoe, East Donyland, Newchurch, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and White Notley, Black Notley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, Isle of Wight and North Devon. 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 Fingringhoe, East Donyland Essex
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 White Notley, Black Notley Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 012 Braintree
2 Isle of Wight 005 Isle of Wight
3 North Devon 013 North Devon
4 Isle of Wight 008 Isle of Wight
5 Braintree 014 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheek

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheek

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cheek is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Cheek is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cheek 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 Cheek 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 Cheek, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cheek

The surname Cheek is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cēace" which means "cheek" or "jaw". This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname referring to someone with prominent or distinctive cheeks.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Cheek dates back to the late 12th century in Essex, England. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Cheke, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1197.

The Cheek surname also appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were a census of landowners at the time. This record includes entries for individuals with the surname Cheek residing in various counties across England, including Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Cambridgeshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Cheek was often spelled in various ways, including Cheke, Chike, and Chyke, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time.

One notable bearer of the Cheek surname was Sir John Cheke (1514-1557), an English scholar, and Humanist who served as a tutor to King Edward VI. He is renowned for his contributions to the English language and his advocacy for the use of English as a written language.

Another notable figure was Henry Cheke (1701-1781), an English mathematician and author who published several works on algebra and geometry.

In the 19th century, the Cheek surname was associated with several prominent individuals, such as Ebenezer Cheek (1804-1884), an American farmer and politician who served as a representative in the Texas State Legislature.

Sarah Cheek (1828-1901) was a notable African American educator and activist who established one of the earliest schools for African American children in Washington, D.C., during the Civil War era.

The Cheek surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Cheekley in Staffordshire and Cheekhampton in Devon, which may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the name over time.

While the surname Cheek is primarily concentrated in England and the United States, it has also been documented in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of English-speaking populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cheek families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cheek 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. Essex leads with 189 Cheeks recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.28x.

County Total Index
Essex 189 16.28x
Middlesex 123 2.09x
Surrey 66 2.30x
Hampshire 64 5.31x
Hertfordshire 37 9.13x
Somerset 25 2.64x
Kent 22 1.10x
Glamorgan 21 2.05x
Gloucestershire 14 1.21x
Devon 9 0.74x
Northumberland 9 1.03x
Durham 7 0.40x
Sussex 5 0.50x
Clackmannanshire 2 4.12x
Northamptonshire 2 0.36x
Worcestershire 2 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.27x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Herefordshire 1 0.41x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.43x
Yorkshire 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. Whippingham in Hampshire leads with 30 Cheeks recorded in 1881 and an index of 328.59x.

Place Total Index
Whippingham 30 328.59x
Camberwell 25 6.65x
Shoreditch London 18 7.06x
Great Coggeshall 17 281.46x
East Donyland 16 571.43x
Chipping Barnet 14 197.46x
Richmond 14 34.86x
Bethnal Green London 11 4.30x
Clerkenwell London 10 7.20x
Clifton 10 17.15x
Great Dunmow 10 165.29x
Shenfield 10 332.23x
Westminster St John 10 13.96x
Bocking 9 128.94x
Great Saling 9 1285.71x
Little Dunmow 9 1323.53x
Ryde 9 34.75x
West Ham 9 3.51x
West Hanningfield 9 1034.48x
Cressing 8 733.95x
Llandaff 8 23.48x
Plumstead 8 11.96x
Stoke Damerel 8 9.34x
West Denton 8 869.57x
Cornsay 7 148.62x
Croydon 7 4.40x
Gatcombe 7 1521.74x
Islington London 7 1.23x
Roath 7 15.05x
Roxwell 7 426.83x
White Notley 7 752.69x
Willesden 7 12.62x
Wiveliscombe 7 132.58x
Bardfield Saling 6 1000.00x
Edmonton 6 12.66x
Enfield 6 15.55x
Faulkbourn 6 1666.67x
Great Waltham 6 126.85x
Hatfield 6 72.99x
Northfleet 6 33.94x
St Luke London 6 6.36x
Swansea Town 6 7.15x
Tottenham 6 6.40x
Broxbourne 5 62.19x
Downham 5 1000.00x
Kingston On Thames 5 7.26x
St Pancras London 5 1.06x
Welwyn 5 142.45x
Witham 5 83.61x
Alverstoke 4 9.17x
Barking 4 11.78x
East Hanningfield 4 493.83x
Hackney London 4 1.21x
Kingston 4 236.69x
Loughton 4 69.69x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.86x
St Michael Queenhithe 4 1052.63x
Taunton St James 4 28.96x
Taunton St Mary 4 23.02x
Twickenham 4 15.86x
Braintree 3 28.76x
Brentwood 3 42.37x
Cheshunt 3 21.17x
Chislehurst 3 27.88x
Clapham 3 4.08x
Esher 3 74.81x
Great Warley 3 114.07x
Harwich St Nicholas 3 33.44x
Kelvedon 3 97.09x
Rivenhall 3 215.83x
Wivenhoe 3 65.08x
Alloa 2 8.49x
Battersea 2 0.92x
Brading 2 12.48x
Carisbrooke 2 11.95x
Lambeth 2 0.39x
Mark 2 90.50x
Sittingbourne 2 12.62x
Theydon Bois 2 113.64x
Ventnor 2 17.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Sarah 21
Eliza 18
Elizabeth 18
Ellen 14
Emma 14
Alice 12
Ann 12
Jane 11
Annie 8
Emily 8
Ada 7
Margaret 7
Esther 6
Florence 6
Caroline 5
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Kate 4
Susan 4
Edith 3
Lydia 3
Martha 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Euphemine 1
Josephine 1
Wilmot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 29
John 27
James 17
Thomas 14
Henry 13
Alfred 11
Joseph 10
Charles 7
Edward 7
Martin 7
Robert 7
Albert 6
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Philip 5
Benjamin 4
Cecil 4
David 4
Francis 4
Herbert 3
Tabor 3
Andrew 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Hy. 2
Jordan 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
C. 1
Daniel 1
Divid 1
Earnest 1
Frank 1
G. 1
J. 1
Kemble 1
Lewis 1
M. 1
Nealy 1
Rd. 1
Reuben 1
Samuel 1
Sephen 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cheek surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cheek surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Cheek surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cheek surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 788 in 2016. That gives Cheek a modern rank of #7,006.

What does the Cheek surname mean?

An English nickname for someone with rosy or prominent cheeks, or a bold, impudent person.

What does the Cheek map show?

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