NameCensus.

UK surname

Chegwidden

A locational surname originating from a place called Chegewyddon in Cornwall, England.

In the 1881 census there were 242 people recorded with the Chegwidden surname, ranking it #11,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #11,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, Crantock and Wendron. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Thurrock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chegwidden is 290 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 43.0%.

1881 census count

242

Ranked #11,333

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1901

290 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chegwidden had 242 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 290 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Chegwidden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chegwidden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chegwidden 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 155 #12,604
1861 historical 236 #10,393
1881 historical 242 #11,333
1891 historical 285 #11,515
1901 historical 290 #11,925
1911 historical 256 #12,688
1997 modern 164 #19,944
1998 modern 171 #19,956
1999 modern 173 #19,935
2000 modern 166 #20,426
2001 modern 165 #20,199
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 157 #21,168
2005 modern 153 #21,490
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 145 #22,929
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 145 #23,780
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Chegwiddens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, Crantock, Wendron, St Columb Minor and Kea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Thurrock. 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 Crantock Cornwall
3 Wendron Cornwall
4 St Columb Minor Cornwall
5 Kea Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 047 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 050 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 056 Cornwall
5 Thurrock 014 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chegwidden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chegwidden

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Chegwidden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Chegwidden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Chegwidden 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

Chegwidden is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Chegwidden

The surname CHEGWIDDEN has its origins in Cornwall, a historic county in Southwest England. It is believed to have derived from the Cornish place name Cregweddon or Creguidon, which translates to "the shady crag" or "the sheltered crag." The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the late 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Chegweddon, Cregweddon, and Creguidon.

One of the earliest documented references to this surname can be found in the Cornish Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which listed a certain John de Cregweddon. Additionally, the Assize Rolls of Cornwall from the late 14th century mention a William Chegweddon, indicating the surname's presence in the region during that time period.

The CHEGWIDDEN surname has a strong association with Cornwall's mining heritage, as many individuals bearing this name were involved in the region's thriving tin and copper mining industries during the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable figures from this period include John CHEGWIDDEN (1640-1718), a prominent tin miner and landowner in the village of St. Hilary, and his son, also named John CHEGWIDDEN (1675-1742), who continued the family's mining endeavors.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most notable individuals with this surname was Sir Walter CHEGWIDDEN (1828-1907), a British naval officer who served in the Crimean War and later became Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Station. He was knighted in 1892 for his distinguished military service.

Another significant figure was Thomas CHEGWIDDEN (1848-1923), a Cornish-born artist and painter known for his landscapes and seascapes depicting the rugged beauty of Cornwall's coastline. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and are held in collections across Britain.

In the 20th century, John CHEGWIDDEN (1914-1991) was a renowned British architect who contributed to the reconstruction efforts in London following World War II. He was particularly renowned for his designs of public housing estates and was awarded the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gold Medal in 1987.

While the CHEGWIDDEN surname is most prevalent in Cornwall and the surrounding regions, it has also spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chegwidden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chegwidden 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. Cornwall leads with 187 Chegwiddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.68x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 187 69.68x
Glamorgan 10 2.42x
Lancashire 10 0.36x
Kent 9 1.11x
Cumberland 8 3.92x
Devon 6 1.22x
Hampshire 4 0.82x
Surrey 3 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.70x
Durham 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.22x
Middlesex 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 3.54x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sithney in Cornwall leads with 29 Chegwiddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1070.11x.

Place Total Index
Sithney 29 1070.11x
Wendron 24 643.43x
Kea 22 1100.00x
Helston 16 573.48x
St Columb Minor 14 622.22x
Camborne 12 108.50x
Crantock 12 4285.71x
Swansea Town 10 29.55x
Beckenham 9 85.15x
Arlecdon 8 147.33x
St Stithians 8 540.54x
Redruth 6 79.05x
Rishton 6 181.82x
Buckfastleigh 5 219.30x
Kenwyn 5 71.23x
Madron Penzance 5 51.23x
St Erme 5 1219.51x
Everton 4 4.46x
Gwennap 4 79.05x
Liskeard 4 89.09x
Breage 3 122.45x
Cury 3 857.14x
Mawgan In Meneage 3 428.57x
Portsea 3 3.15x
Probus 3 272.73x
St Gluvias Penryn 3 139.53x
Lambeth 2 0.97x
St Clement 2 71.43x
Cirencester 1 15.90x
Eton 1 30.77x
Feock 1 59.52x
Gateshead 1 1.89x
Lostwithel 1 131.58x
Mabe 1 181.82x
Penge 1 6.61x
Portsmouth 1 8.94x
Royal Navy 1 4.14x
St Columb Major 1 44.84x
St Pancras London 1 0.52x
Totnes 1 34.60x
Wheatley 1 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 15
Jane 13
Sarah 6
Emily 5
Caroline 4
Grace 4
Susan 4
Annie 3
Edith 3
Ann 2
Bessie 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
A. 1
Amy 1
Avis 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Charlotte 1
Christianna 1
E. 1
E.L. 1
Elizth. 1
Emalie 1
Emelia 1
Emiline 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Hattie 1
Honor 1
Josepha 1
Levina 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Melvina 1
Minnie 1
Nannie 1
Nanny 1
Nora 1
Peternele 1
Phillippa 1
Priscilla 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 15
Thomas 13
James 8
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Charles 5
Walter 4
Alexander 3
Edward 3
George 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Arundel 1
Charley 1
E.M. 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Nanny 1
Nicholas 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
W.T. 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Chegwidden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chegwidden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 242 people were recorded with the Chegwidden surname. That placed it at #11,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chegwidden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Chegwidden a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Chegwidden surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place called Chegewyddon in Cornwall, England.

What does the Chegwidden map show?

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