NameCensus.

UK surname

Chestnutt

A surname referring to a person living near a chestnut tree.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Sefton and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chestnutt is 154 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

2014

154 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Chestnutt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chestnutt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chestnutt 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
1891 historical 13 #33,099
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 126 #23,461
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 123 #24,643
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 108 #27,015
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Chestnutts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Sefton, Isle of Wight, Stroud and Canterbury. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 001 Wolverhampton
2 Sefton 025 Sefton
3 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
4 Stroud 010 Stroud
5 Canterbury 001 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chestnutt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chestnutt

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Chestnutt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Chestnutt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Chestnutt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chestnutt is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chestnutt falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chestnutt 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Chestnutt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Chestnutt

The surname Chestnutt is an English surname that originated in the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from places called Chestnut or Chestnutt, likely named after chestnut trees that grew in the area. The name can be traced back to the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire in the southwest of England.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Chestnutt can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a William de Chestnut was listed. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Chestnut, Chesnut, and Chestnett, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling during the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the surname Chestnutt was documented in the Parish Registers of Gloucestershire, where individuals like John Chestnut and Agnes Chestnett were recorded. The name also appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Somerset in the late 17th century, indicating the family's presence in that county.

One notable individual with the surname Chestnutt was Charles Waddell Chesnutt (1858-1932), an African American author, essayist, and lawyer from Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for his literary works that explored issues of race and social injustice in the post-Civil War South.

Another prominent figure was Henry Chestnutt (1721-1808), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and was involved in several significant battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.

In the 19th century, the surname Chestnutt was associated with the literary works of Mary Chestnutt (1823-1886), an American author and diarist from South Carolina. Her diary, which chronicled life on a plantation during the Civil War, provided valuable insights into the era.

Additionally, Joseph R. Chestnutt (1864-1938) was a notable American businessman and politician from North Carolina. He served as a member of the North Carolina Senate and was involved in various industries, including banking and textile manufacturing.

Lastly, William Chestnutt (1766-1837) was a Scottish-born American merchant and plantation owner who settled in Georgia. He played a significant role in the early economic development of the state and was involved in the cotton trade.

While the Chestnutt surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with notable figures in various fields, including literature, military service, business, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Chestnutt surname: questions and answers

How common is the Chestnutt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Chestnutt a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Chestnutt surname mean?

A surname referring to a person living near a chestnut tree.

What does the Chestnutt map show?

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