NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheetham

From a village called Cheetham near Manchester in England.

In the 1881 census there were 4,637 people recorded with the Cheetham surname, ranking it #960 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,168, ranked #1,306, down from #960 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Stockport and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Rotherham and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheetham is 5,993 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.5%.

1881 census count

4,637

Ranked #960

Modern count

5,168

2016, ranked #1,306

Peak year

1911

5,993 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cheetham had 4,637 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #960 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,168 in 2016, ranked #1,306.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,993 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Cheetham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheetham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheetham 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 2,838 #1,028
1861 historical 2,359 #1,244
1881 historical 4,637 #960
1891 historical 4,759 #978
1901 historical 5,587 #998
1911 historical 5,993 #864
1997 modern 5,292 #1,230
1998 modern 5,449 #1,243
1999 modern 5,530 #1,238
2000 modern 5,512 #1,237
2001 modern 5,435 #1,224
2002 modern 5,546 #1,224
2003 modern 5,433 #1,220
2004 modern 5,414 #1,229
2005 modern 5,259 #1,241
2006 modern 5,231 #1,246
2007 modern 5,282 #1,241
2008 modern 5,256 #1,267
2009 modern 5,367 #1,266
2010 modern 5,469 #1,272
2011 modern 5,348 #1,284
2012 modern 5,238 #1,282
2013 modern 5,255 #1,302
2014 modern 5,262 #1,308
2015 modern 5,195 #1,309
2016 modern 5,168 #1,306

Geography

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Where Cheethams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Rotherham and Ashfield. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 003 Wigan
2 Rotherham 005 Rotherham
3 Rotherham 008 Rotherham
4 Ashfield 007 Ashfield
5 Rotherham 010 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheetham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheetham

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Cheetham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cheetham 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cheetham is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cheetham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cheetham falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cheetham

The surname Cheetham traces its origins to Lancashire, England, where it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the place name "Cheetham," which itself is derived from the Old English words "cēte" meaning a rough hut or shelter, and "hām" meaning a homestead or village.

Cheetham was initially recorded as "Cheteham" in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of the great survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early reference suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Cheetham was Richard de Chetham, who was documented in the Lancashire Assize Rolls of 1246. The name also appeared in various forms, such as Chetham and Chetam, in medieval records of the region.

The surname Cheetham is closely associated with the historic Cheetham area in Manchester, which was once a separate township. This connection is evident in the life of Humphrey Chetham (1580-1653), a prosperous merchant and philanthropist who founded Chetham's Library and Chetham's Hospital (now Chetham's School of Music) in Manchester.

Another notable figure with the surname Cheetham was James Cheetham (1772-1810), an English-born American writer, editor, and political activist. He played a significant role in the early days of American journalism and was a vocal critic of the Federalist Party.

In the 19th century, Joseph Cheetham (1808-1889) was a prominent English industrialist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for North Lancashire from 1868 to 1880. He was also a successful cotton manufacturer and philanthropist.

The name Cheetham has also been associated with the arts. John Cheetham (1939-2019) was an English painter and printmaker known for his abstract compositions, while James Cheetham (1772-1810) was an American writer and editor who published several influential works during the early years of the United States.

Throughout its history, the surname Cheetham has maintained strong ties to its Lancashire roots, with many families continuing to reside in the region. The name has also spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who migrated from England over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cheetham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cheetham 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. Lancashire leads with 2,405 Cheethams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.48x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,405 4.48x
Yorkshire 752 1.68x
Cheshire 515 5.16x
Derbyshire 264 3.73x
Nottinghamshire 232 3.81x
Lincolnshire 79 1.09x
Staffordshire 56 0.37x
Middlesex 39 0.09x
Kent 37 0.24x
Durham 30 0.22x
Surrey 30 0.14x
Denbighshire 24 1.41x
Essex 18 0.20x
Sussex 15 0.20x
Hampshire 14 0.15x
Norfolk 13 0.19x
Leicestershire 12 0.24x
Flintshire 10 0.82x
Northumberland 10 0.15x
Gloucestershire 9 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.19x
Devon 7 0.07x
Shropshire 7 0.18x
Warwickshire 7 0.06x
Worcestershire 7 0.12x
Lanarkshire 6 0.04x
Northamptonshire 5 0.12x
Rutland 4 1.21x
Cumberland 3 0.08x
Midlothian 3 0.05x
Somerset 3 0.04x
Wiltshire 3 0.08x
Perthshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 0.37x
Bedfordshire 1 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 299 Cheethams recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.27x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 299 17.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 123 10.49x
Salford 95 6.02x
Dukinfield 93 20.17x
Manchester 93 3.86x
Chadderton 88 33.56x
Hyde 87 29.55x
Nottingham St Mary 76 4.82x
Sheffield 69 4.84x
Pemberton 64 29.92x
Leeds 62 2.45x
Barton Upon Irwell 60 14.86x
Stockport 60 11.68x
Middleton In Oldham 58 36.06x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 53 12.70x
Wuerdle Wardle 52 31.94x
Crompton 49 32.08x
Hulme 49 4.38x
Worsley 48 14.52x
Tonge 47 41.76x
Heaton Norris 44 14.41x
Lymm 43 59.28x
Blackburn 41 2.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 39 4.58x
Little Bolton 39 5.65x
North Meols 39 7.43x
Huddersfield 37 5.67x
Spotland 36 6.04x
Wigan 31 4.14x
Newton 29 7.01x
Parr 29 15.11x
Belper 28 20.41x
Bradfield 28 16.21x
Castleton 28 5.23x
Newton In Ashton Under 28 28.44x
Cheetham 26 6.50x
Gorton 26 5.16x
Radford 26 8.40x
Shirland 26 49.11x
Altrincham 25 14.34x
Nether Hallam 25 4.13x
Preston 25 1.74x
Wardleworth 25 8.16x
Standish With Langtree 24 36.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 23 2.52x
Royton 23 14.02x
Sowerby In Halifax 23 15.70x
Broughton In Salford 22 4.49x
Derby St Alkmund 22 10.37x
Rawmarsh 22 13.90x
Ardwick 21 4.34x
Handsworth 21 17.73x
Pendleton In Salford 21 3.29x
Derby St Werburgh 20 4.89x
Manningham 20 3.62x
Withington 20 11.57x
Haughton 19 24.28x
Liverpool 19 0.58x
Radcliffe 19 7.35x
Bradford 18 7.17x
Horsforth 18 18.33x
Openshaw 18 7.17x
Pendlebury 18 15.89x
Snenton 18 7.52x
Heap 17 5.98x
Hunslet 17 2.43x
Macclesfield 17 3.83x
Saddleworth 17 4.92x
Stretford 17 5.76x
Codnor Loscoe 15 26.76x
Glossop Dale 15 4.53x
Halifax 15 2.28x
Halliwell 15 7.68x
Bosley 14 226.17x
Holbeck 14 4.72x
Lenton 14 9.75x
Pilkington 14 6.87x
Shevington 14 57.07x
Westleigh 14 11.49x
Windle 14 4.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 373
Sarah 223
Elizabeth 220
Ann 117
Alice 105
Jane 105
Hannah 90
Ellen 74
Eliza 63
Martha 58
Annie 54
Margaret 52
Emma 51
Emily 38
Ada 27
Clara 25
Frances 22
Betty 21
Charlotte 20
Fanny 20
Lucy 19
Agnes 18
Harriet 18
Maria 18
Esther 17
Catherine 16
Edith 16
Nancy 16
Florence 15
Matilda 15
Anne 13
Caroline 13
Bertha 12
Elizth. 12
Gertrude 12
Isabella 12
Harriett 11
Rebecca 11
Amelia 10
Betsy 10
Rachel 10
Selina 10
Kate 9
Sophia 9
Leah 8
Louisa 8
Lily 7
Minnie 7
Rose 7
Ruth 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 311
William 248
James 216
Thomas 148
Joseph 119
George 110
Samuel 95
Henry 78
Robert 60
Charles 59
Alfred 30
Arthur 29
Albert 28
Walter 27
Edward 25
Harry 25
Richard 23
Frank 22
Frederick 21
Wm. 21
Edwin 20
Isaac 19
Tom 17
Benjamin 16
Fred 16
Ernest 15
Thos. 13
Edmund 12
Herbert 12
Abraham 10
Francis 9
David 7
Geo. 7
Jonas 7
Jonathan 7
Saml. 7
Alexander 6
Andrew 6
Eli 6
Jas. 6
Aaron 5
Fred. 5
Humphrey 5
Jos. 5
Leonard 5
Willm. 5
Hugh 4
Joe 4
Joshua 4
Peter 4

FAQ

Cheetham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cheetham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,637 people were recorded with the Cheetham surname. That placed it at #960 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cheetham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,168 in 2016. That gives Cheetham a modern rank of #1,306.

What does the Cheetham surname mean?

From a village called Cheetham near Manchester in England.

What does the Cheetham map show?

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