NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheema

A Jat clan name found primarily in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Gravesham and Slough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheema is 2,119 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

2,085

2016, ranked #3,102

Peak year

2014

2,119 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,085 in 2016, ranked #3,102.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Cheema surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheema surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheema 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
1997 modern 1,113 #5,016
1998 modern 1,179 #4,955
1999 modern 1,236 #4,793
2000 modern 1,246 #4,751
2001 modern 1,236 #4,689
2002 modern 1,352 #4,423
2003 modern 1,414 #4,189
2004 modern 1,474 #4,064
2005 modern 1,577 #3,778
2006 modern 1,667 #3,604
2007 modern 1,711 #3,554
2008 modern 1,772 #3,482
2009 modern 1,896 #3,351
2010 modern 1,983 #3,302
2011 modern 2,047 #3,177
2012 modern 2,014 #3,175
2013 modern 2,102 #3,102
2014 modern 2,119 #3,101
2015 modern 2,106 #3,086
2016 modern 2,085 #3,102

Geography

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Where Cheemas 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 Kirklees, Gravesham, Slough and Derby. 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 Kirklees 011 Kirklees
2 Gravesham 002 Gravesham
3 Slough 007 Slough
4 Derby 021 Derby
5 Gravesham 004 Gravesham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheema

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheema

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

Cheema 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

Cheema falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cheema

The surname Cheema is of Punjabi origin, with its roots tracing back to the Indian subcontinent during the medieval period. This surname is derived from the word "Chheema," which in the Punjabi language refers to a village or settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the Cheema surname can be found in historical manuscripts and records from the 14th and 15th centuries. These documents mention the Cheema clan as a prominent Jat community inhabiting the regions of Punjab and Haryana in northern India.

One notable historical reference to the Cheema name is found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions the Cheema clan as a powerful and influential group in the areas surrounding the cities of Hansi and Hissar, which are now part of the Haryana state.

During the reign of the Mughal Empire, several individuals bearing the Cheema surname held significant positions and played important roles. One such figure was Raja Saida Cheema, a prominent Jat chieftain who lived in the late 16th century and is renowned for his resistance against the Mughal forces.

Another notable Cheema was Nawab Ghulam Mohammad Khan Cheema, a powerful landlord and military commander who lived in the 18th century. He was instrumental in establishing the Cheema dynasty, which ruled over parts of present-day Punjab and Haryana.

In the 19th century, Sardar Bahadur Sir Chhotu Ram Cheema was a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement. Born in 1881, he was a respected politician, social reformer, and advocate for the rights of the peasant community in Punjab.

Additionally, the Cheema surname has been associated with several notable individuals in the field of literature and academia. One such figure was Professor Naranjan Singh Cheema, a renowned Punjabi writer and scholar who lived from 1915 to 1986 and made significant contributions to Punjabi literature and language studies.

Despite being rooted in the Indian subcontinent, the Cheema surname has now spread across various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain closely tied to the regions of Punjab and Haryana in northern India.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cheema surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cheema surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,085 in 2016. That gives Cheema a modern rank of #3,102.

What does the Cheema surname mean?

A Jat clan name found primarily in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan.

What does the Cheema map show?

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