NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheesman

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of cheese.

In the 1881 census there were 1,534 people recorded with the Cheesman surname, ranking it #2,737 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,643, ranked #3,792, down from #2,737 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, Mole Valley and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheesman is 2,151 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.1%.

1881 census count

1,534

Ranked #2,737

Modern count

1,643

2016, ranked #3,792

Peak year

1911

2,151 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cheesman had 1,534 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,737 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,643 in 2016, ranked #3,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,151 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cheesman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheesman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheesman 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 1,457 #1,971
1861 historical 1,191 #2,382
1881 historical 1,534 #2,737
1891 historical 1,659 #2,702
1901 historical 2,053 #2,611
1911 historical 2,151 #2,337
1997 modern 1,758 #3,404
1998 modern 1,846 #3,380
1999 modern 1,855 #3,388
2000 modern 1,850 #3,382
2001 modern 1,791 #3,405
2002 modern 1,799 #3,450
2003 modern 1,762 #3,462
2004 modern 1,749 #3,484
2005 modern 1,697 #3,544
2006 modern 1,679 #3,582
2007 modern 1,688 #3,593
2008 modern 1,676 #3,638
2009 modern 1,687 #3,703
2010 modern 1,730 #3,689
2011 modern 1,693 #3,715
2012 modern 1,629 #3,777
2013 modern 1,671 #3,758
2014 modern 1,654 #3,821
2015 modern 1,647 #3,789
2016 modern 1,643 #3,792

Geography

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Where Cheesmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest, Mole Valley, Swale and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 001 New Forest
2 Mole Valley 011 Mole Valley
3 Swale 015 Swale
4 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
5 Mole Valley 010 Mole Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheesman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheesman

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cheesman is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cheesman 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cheesman

The surname Cheesman originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'ciese', meaning cheese, combined with the occupational suffix 'man'. Thus, the name likely referred to a person who made or sold cheese.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John le Chisemongere. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Chesman, Cheesman, and Cheesemaker. These variations reflect the regional dialects and inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

The Cheesman surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. Some early examples include William Chesman, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1332, and John Cheesman, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1379.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name can be found in various parish records and tax rolls across southern England. One notable bearer of the name was Richard Cheeseman, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived from 1538 to 1611.

Another historical figure with the Cheesman surname was John Cheeseman, born in 1671 in Dorset, England. He was a renowned clockmaker and his clocks are highly prized by collectors today.

In the 18th century, the Cheesman family had a strong presence in the village of Burghclere, Hampshire. Thomas Cheesman, born in 1725, was a prominent landowner and farmer in the area.

The 19th century saw the Cheesman name spread further across England and into other parts of the British Isles. Notable individuals include William Cheeseman, born in 1810 in Dorset, who was a renowned horticulturist and botanist responsible for introducing several new plant species to Britain.

Samuel Cheesman, born in 1842 in Somerset, was a celebrated architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style during the Victorian era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cheesman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cheesman 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. Kent leads with 454 Cheesmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.92x.

County Total Index
Kent 454 8.92x
Surrey 248 3.41x
Sussex 233 9.26x
Middlesex 130 0.87x
Hampshire 73 2.39x
Lincolnshire 70 2.93x
Dorset 68 6.94x
Durham 52 1.17x
Yorkshire 43 0.29x
Essex 25 0.85x
Westmorland 17 5.18x
Northumberland 14 0.63x
Lancashire 13 0.07x
Shropshire 12 0.93x
Berkshire 8 0.71x
Cumberland 8 0.62x
Monmouthshire 8 0.74x
Oxfordshire 8 0.87x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.67x
Orkney 6 3.65x
Staffordshire 6 0.12x
Norfolk 5 0.22x
Cheshire 4 0.12x
Derbyshire 3 0.13x
Wiltshire 3 0.23x
Bedfordshire 2 0.26x
Cornwall 2 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.67x
Suffolk 2 0.11x
Devon 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.56x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 63 Cheesmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.41x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 63 12.41x
Portsea 55 9.17x
Maidstone 49 32.30x
Tonbridge 29 15.79x
Hawkhurst 27 170.56x
Cold Waltham 26 1287.13x
Lambeth 24 1.84x
Charing 20 290.28x
Newington 18 3.26x
Whickham 17 41.61x
Croydon 16 3.96x
Beddington 15 53.34x
Chobham 15 116.82x
Egham 15 33.59x
Horsemonden 15 201.61x
Deptford St Paul 14 3.56x
Dorking 14 28.67x
Holy Trinity 13 3.65x
Messingham 13 224.91x
Oswestry Town 12 29.06x
Salehurst 12 110.09x
Sedgwick 12 952.38x
St Pancras London 12 1.00x
East Molesey 11 65.20x
Kingston On Thames 11 6.30x
Mereworth 11 268.29x
St Marylebone London 11 1.38x
Wolsingham 11 27.18x
Cerne Abbas 10 210.53x
Frant 10 56.09x
Funtington 10 176.37x
Godalming 10 21.84x
Hastings St Michael 10 558.66x
Leyton 10 19.70x
Shoreditch London 10 1.55x
Sydling St Nicholas 10 349.65x
Tenterden 10 55.68x
Winterton 10 122.10x
Battersea 9 1.64x
Bethnal Green London 9 1.39x
Camberwell 9 0.94x
Cuckfield 9 35.41x
East Peckham 9 85.07x
Horsham 9 18.41x
Middlestone 9 101.12x
Northfleet 9 20.06x
Sherborne 9 31.20x
Shere 9 102.39x
Sittingbourne 9 22.38x
Southampton All Sts 9 17.15x
Yetminster 9 247.25x
Angmering 8 159.05x
Cranleigh 8 75.19x
Crowhurst 8 366.97x
Dover St James 8 35.84x
Fletching 8 71.05x
Folkestone 8 8.10x
Hothfield 8 484.85x
Lenham 8 78.74x
Nettlestead 8 263.16x
Paddington London 8 1.46x
Sculcoates 8 3.41x
St Woollos 8 6.64x
Stowting 8 733.95x
Teynham 8 87.15x
Wandsworth 8 5.57x
West Hythe 8 1126.76x
Whittonstall 8 1000.00x
Yalding 8 62.21x
Beckenham 7 10.52x
Bidborough 7 492.96x
Ealing 7 5.25x
Gillingham 7 6.67x
Hagworthingham 7 282.26x
Oborne 7 958.90x
Shipbourne 7 270.27x
St Andrew Holborn London 7 10.83x
St Luke London 7 2.92x
Wadhurst 7 42.37x
West Ham 7 1.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 93
Elizabeth 68
Sarah 42
Jane 32
Alice 24
Eliza 23
Annie 22
Ellen 21
Emily 19
Emma 19
Ann 17
Edith 16
Harriet 16
Martha 15
Caroline 14
Fanny 13
Louisa 13
Frances 11
Kate 11
Hannah 10
Margaret 10
Catherine 9
Isabella 8
Clara 7
Maria 7
Rose 7
Charlotte 6
Florence 6
Gertrude 6
Rebecca 6
Susan 6
Ada 5
Anne 5
Esther 5
Henrietta 5
Mabel 5
Matilda 5
Agnes 4
Eleanor 4
Julia 4
Lucy 4
Winifred 4
Amy 3
Anna 3
Augusta 3
Harriett 3
Lydia 3
Margret 3
Maud 3
Rosa 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 109
George 70
John 63
Thomas 51
Henry 44
Charles 36
James 31
Alfred 24
Edward 21
Walter 21
Frederick 20
Joseph 19
Edwin 15
Frank 14
Robert 12
Albert 11
Arthur 11
Harry 10
Stephen 9
Ernest 7
Herbert 7
Richard 7
Benjamin 5
Thos. 4
Willm. 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Jonathan 3
Luke 3
Martin 3
Philip 3
Samuel 3
Charlie 2
Chase 2
Christopher 2
Edgar 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Henery 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Miles 2
Percival 2
Percy 2
Sydney 2
Wiliam 2
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Cheesman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cheesman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,534 people were recorded with the Cheesman surname. That placed it at #2,737 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cheesman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,643 in 2016. That gives Cheesman a modern rank of #3,792.

What does the Cheesman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of cheese.

What does the Cheesman map show?

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