NameCensus.

UK surname

Chesterman

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold chests.

In the 1881 census there were 515 people recorded with the Chesterman surname, ranking it #6,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 799, ranked #6,918, down from #6,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Englishcombe, Tiverton, Swindon, Lyddington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Swindon and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chesterman is 874 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.1%.

1881 census count

515

Ranked #6,619

Modern count

799

2016, ranked #6,918

Peak year

2011

874 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chesterman had 515 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 799 in 2016, ranked #6,918.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 781 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chesterman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chesterman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chesterman 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 321 #7,237
1861 historical 400 #6,412
1881 historical 515 #6,619
1891 historical 633 #6,110
1901 historical 737 #6,013
1911 historical 781 #5,568
1997 modern 809 #6,483
1998 modern 864 #6,350
1999 modern 859 #6,430
2000 modern 863 #6,372
2001 modern 847 #6,354
2002 modern 857 #6,427
2003 modern 817 #6,541
2004 modern 835 #6,431
2005 modern 789 #6,673
2006 modern 794 #6,671
2007 modern 804 #6,655
2008 modern 809 #6,681
2009 modern 840 #6,625
2010 modern 869 #6,577
2011 modern 874 #6,472
2012 modern 818 #6,711
2013 modern 817 #6,818
2014 modern 818 #6,851
2015 modern 810 #6,854
2016 modern 799 #6,918

Geography

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Where Chestermans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Englishcombe, Tiverton, Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, Swindon, South Derbyshire and East Hampshire. 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 Englishcombe, Tiverton Somerset
2 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
2 Cotswold 011 Cotswold
3 Swindon 005 Swindon
4 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
5 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chesterman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chesterman

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Chesterman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Chesterman 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Chesterman 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

Chesterman is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chesterman falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chesterman

The surname Chesterman has its origins in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be an occupational surname, derived from the Old English words "cest" and "mann," meaning a person who made or sold chests or boxes.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various records and documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire in 1275, which listed a Robert le Chesterman. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also mentioned a John le Chesterman.

The Chesterman surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Worcestershire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire, where many families worked as chest makers or traders. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to 1221 in the Curia Regis Rolls of Warwickshire, where a Nicholas Chesterman was listed.

One notable Chesterman was Sir William Chesterman, who lived in the late 14th century and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1378. He played a significant role in the governance of the city during his tenure.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various parish records, such as the christening of John Chesterman in 1567 at St. Martin in the Fields, London. Another notable figure from this period was Richard Chesterman, a Puritan minister born in Gloucestershire in 1597.

The Chesterman surname also has connections to place names, such as Chesterman's Green in Staffordshire and Chesterman's Farm in Worcestershire, suggesting that some families may have derived their surname from these locations.

Other notable individuals with the Chesterman surname include James Chesterman (1815-1887), an English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London, and Charles Chesterman (1826-1918), a British engineer who invented the Chesterman tape measure, which revolutionized the construction industry.

While the Chesterman surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Chesterman, Chestmon, and Chesman, its origins and meaning have remained closely tied to the occupation of chest making and trading.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chesterman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chesterman 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. Middlesex leads with 124 Chestermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 124 2.46x
Berkshire 76 20.08x
Wiltshire 56 12.56x
Surrey 49 1.99x
Oxfordshire 33 10.60x
Somerset 29 3.57x
Kent 25 1.45x
Lancashire 24 0.40x
Gloucestershire 22 2.22x
Yorkshire 21 0.42x
Hampshire 12 1.16x
Worcestershire 11 1.67x
Cheshire 10 0.90x
Derbyshire 7 0.89x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.31x
Warwickshire 4 0.31x
Devon 2 0.19x
Staffordshire 2 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.31x
Durham 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.48x
Isle of Man 1 1.07x
Royal Navy 1 1.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 33 Chestermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.75x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 33 6.75x
Reading St Giles 20 53.85x
Broad Hinton 18 1894.74x
Cookham 18 152.54x
Kensington London 15 5.35x
Twerton 15 179.21x
Cliffe Pypard 14 1044.78x
Wantage 12 198.68x
Deptford St Paul 11 8.29x
Clerkenwell London 10 8.40x
Swindon 9 26.01x
Wincham 9 439.02x
Bensington 8 402.01x
Camberwell 8 2.48x
Chelsea London 8 5.26x
Cowley 8 82.30x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 7.87x
Edmonton 8 19.69x
Reading St Mary 8 26.39x
Stourbridge 8 47.20x
Stroud 8 41.56x
Toxteth Park 8 3.95x
Battersea 7 3.77x
Egham 7 46.39x
Hendon 7 38.57x
Marcham 7 514.71x
St Pancras London 7 1.72x
Stoke 7 60.34x
Basingstoke 6 50.46x
Baslow With Bubnell 6 410.96x
Bradford 6 4.96x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 28.24x
Mile End Old Town London 6 5.59x
Shoreditch London 6 2.74x
Woolwich 6 9.44x
Bermondsey 5 3.33x
Hulme 5 4.00x
Kempsford 5 349.65x
Stratton St Margaret 5 73.10x
Birmingham 4 0.94x
Bolton In Bradford 4 125.00x
Bradford On Avon 4 28.01x
Chiswick 4 14.51x
Frome 4 20.60x
Hackney London 4 1.41x
Kidlington 4 165.98x
Kirkdale 4 3.97x
Merton 4 93.02x
Pamber 4 333.33x
Piddington 4 816.33x
Abingdon St Helen 3 27.10x
Bremhill 3 149.25x
Croydon 3 2.20x
Everton 3 1.57x
Eynsham 3 152.28x
Greenwich 3 3.74x
Hornsey 3 4.70x
Lambeth 3 0.68x
Longworth 3 291.26x
South Cerney 3 184.05x
St Marylebone London 3 1.11x
Wycombe 3 13.20x
Aldershot 2 5.78x
Bedminster 2 2.62x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 6.06x
Denton 2 15.08x
Devizes St James 2 33.73x
Exeter St Martin 2 625.00x
Hampstead London 2 2.55x
Kings Norton 2 3.39x
Manchester 2 0.74x
Oxford St Thomas 2 13.76x
Painswick 2 28.61x
Petersham 2 206.19x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 29.90x
St Luke London 2 2.47x
Wallingford St Mary Le 2 93.46x
Walsall Foreign 2 2.27x
Heeley 1 6.58x
Little Meolse 1 62.89x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
James 24
Charles 22
Thomas 19
William 19
George 17
Frederick 10
Henry 8
Arthur 7
Edwin 6
Alfred 5
Christopher 5
Harry 5
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Cecil 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Ezekiel 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Aubrey 1
Berkley 1
Cornelius 1
Edgar 1
Edwood 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Jac 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Michl. 1
Olivia 1
Zebulon 1

FAQ

Chesterman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chesterman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 515 people were recorded with the Chesterman surname. That placed it at #6,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chesterman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 799 in 2016. That gives Chesterman a modern rank of #6,918.

What does the Chesterman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold chests.

What does the Chesterman map show?

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