NameCensus.

UK surname

Chesterfield

A locational surname referring to someone from Chesterfield, England.

In the 1881 census there were 274 people recorded with the Chesterfield surname, ranking it #10,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 245, ranked #17,049, down from #10,362 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mevagissey, Tormoham with Torquay and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Lichfield and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chesterfield is 346 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.6%.

1881 census count

274

Ranked #10,362

Modern count

245

2016, ranked #17,049

Peak year

1901

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chesterfield had 274 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016, ranked #17,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Chesterfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chesterfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chesterfield 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 274 #10,362
1891 historical 320 #10,546
1901 historical 346 #10,516
1911 historical 310 #11,180
1997 modern 247 #15,399
1998 modern 253 #15,547
1999 modern 249 #15,844
2000 modern 246 #15,914
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 249 #15,855
2003 modern 241 #16,013
2004 modern 230 #16,643
2005 modern 225 #16,831
2006 modern 232 #16,600
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 236 #16,736
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 234 #17,544
2011 modern 230 #17,578
2012 modern 230 #17,479
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 249 #16,954
2015 modern 251 #16,756
2016 modern 245 #17,049

Geography

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Where Chesterfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mevagissey, Tormoham with Torquay, Illogan, London parishes and St Ewe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Lichfield and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Mevagissey Cornwall
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 Illogan Cornwall
4 London parishes London 1
5 St Ewe Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 041 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
4 Lichfield 004 Lichfield
5 Neath Port Talbot 009 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chesterfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chesterfield

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Chesterfield is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chesterfield is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Chesterfield

The surname Chesterfield originated in England, specifically in the county of Derbyshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ceaster," meaning a Roman camp or town, and "feld," meaning a field or open land. The name refers to the town of Chesterfield, which was established in the early 7th century.

Chesterfield is first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Cestrefeld," reflecting its Anglo-Saxon roots. This early record indicates that the surname was likely adopted by families residing in or near the town of Chesterfield during the Norman period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chesterfield is found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire from 1176, which mention a "William de Chesterfield." This suggests that the surname was well-established by the 12th century and was likely used to identify individuals from the town of Chesterfield.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Chestrefeld" and "Chestrefelde," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Chesterfield (c. 1256-1317), a knight and landowner in Derbyshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname gained prominence with several notable figures. Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield (1584-1656), was a prominent English statesman and politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. His descendant, Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), was a renowned author, politician, and diplomat, best known for his influential letters on manners and etiquette.

Other notable individuals with the surname Chesterfield include:

1. Sir Roger Chesterfield (c. 1400-1470), a member of the English Parliament and a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses. 2. Henry Chesterfield (c. 1570-1637), an English philosopher and writer who published works on logic and rhetoric. 3. Mary Chesterfield (c. 1610-1685), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in Derbyshire, known for her charitable contributions to the local community. 4. George Chesterfield (1805-1872), a prominent industrialist and engineer who played a significant role in the development of the British railway system. 5. Elizabeth Chesterfield (1849-1932), a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's education, who founded several schools for girls in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chesterfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chesterfield 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 78 Chesterfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.59x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 78 25.59x
Lincolnshire 42 9.76x
Middlesex 27 1.00x
Yorkshire 26 0.97x
Devon 14 2.50x
Kent 10 1.09x
Durham 7 0.87x
Northamptonshire 7 2.76x
Staffordshire 7 0.77x
Sussex 7 1.54x
Lancashire 6 0.19x
Perthshire 6 4.97x
Cambridgeshire 5 2.93x
Essex 5 0.94x
Hampshire 5 0.91x
Northumberland 5 1.25x
Shropshire 5 2.15x
Glamorgan 2 0.43x
Herefordshire 2 1.81x
Norfolk 2 0.48x
Surrey 2 0.15x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.87x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Monmouthshire 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 3.12x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deeping St James in Lincolnshire leads with 25 Chesterfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 1644.74x.

Place Total Index
Deeping St James 25 1644.74x
Illogan 19 235.44x
St Austell 18 172.74x
Holy Trinity 13 20.26x
Tormoham 13 54.83x
Mevagissey 10 492.61x
Gwennap 9 156.52x
Kensington London 9 6.01x
Fulham London 8 20.49x
Gorran 7 813.95x
Greenwich 7 16.33x
Sutton 7 230.26x
Collierley 6 168.07x
Hastings Holy Trinity 6 179.10x
Market Deeping 6 535.71x
Perth East Church 6 52.68x
St Ewe 6 652.17x
Cowbit 5 847.46x
Shifnal 5 79.24x
Throckley 5 454.55x
Upwell 5 400.00x
West Ham 5 4.26x
Alton 4 96.15x
Peterborough 4 21.82x
Wolverhampton 4 5.72x
Northborough 3 1500.00x
Redruth 3 34.80x
Tettenhall 3 53.96x
Boston 2 15.31x
Budock 2 87.34x
Clapham 2 5.94x
Everton 2 1.96x
Gillingham 2 10.56x
Ince In Makerfield 2 13.45x
Perranuthnoe 2 240.96x
Rotherham 2 13.30x
St Marylebone London 2 1.39x
Swansea Town 2 5.20x
Walsoken 2 80.32x
Aston 1 0.53x
Barony 1 0.45x
Basingstoke 1 15.75x
Brighton 1 1.09x
Burghill 1 80.00x
Burley In Wharfdale 1 42.37x
Dilwyn 1 103.09x
Ealing 1 4.16x
Gerrans 1 121.95x
Hillingdon 1 11.66x
Holbeach 1 20.88x
Horsforth 1 17.09x
Islington London 1 0.38x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 46.73x
Knutsford Nether 1 27.86x
Kyo 1 26.53x
Lee 1 7.50x
Liverpool 1 0.52x
Madron Penzance 1 9.03x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.75x
Moulton 1 48.31x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.32x
Royal Navy 1 3.65x
Sculcoates 1 2.36x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.11x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 43.86x
St Pancras London 1 0.46x
St Woollos 1 4.60x
Stamford All Sts 1 41.49x
Tottenham 1 2.33x
West Derby 1 1.07x
Weston 1 128.21x
Yaxley 1 80.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 12
Jane 8
Ann 7
Edith 7
Alice 4
Kate 4
Susan 4
Elizth. 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Letitia 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Hilary 1
Isabella 1
Jenny 1
Johanna 1
Katie 1
Lois 1
Lucy 1
Luie 1
Lydia 1
M.J. 1
Mabel 1
Margeret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Philipa 1
Rosa 1
W. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 17
John 15
William 12
Henry 11
James 8
George 5
Charles 4
Samuel 4
Francis 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Stephen 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Phillip 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Bertie 1
Chas.W. 1
Cuthbert 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Inkerman.P. 1
Jesse 1
Martin 1
Nicholas 1
Nicholes 1
Obed 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Saml. 1
T.H. 1
Thos.M. 1
Will. 1
Will.H. 1
Willm. 1
Wm 1

FAQ

Chesterfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chesterfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 274 people were recorded with the Chesterfield surname. That placed it at #10,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chesterfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016. That gives Chesterfield a modern rank of #17,049.

What does the Chesterfield surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Chesterfield, England.

What does the Chesterfield map show?

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