NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheston

A locational surname originating from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Cheston surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackpool, County Durham and Fylde.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheston is 244 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.0%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1861

244 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • • Cheston had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 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 244 in 1861.
  • • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Cheston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheston 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 244 #10,087
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 163 #16,939
1997 modern 134 #22,608
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 148 #23,141
2010 modern 157 #22,800
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 142 #24,148
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 144 #24,504
2015 modern 143 #24,481
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Chestons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Wigan, Standish and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackpool, County Durham, Fylde and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Standish Lancashire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackpool 011 Blackpool
2 County Durham 024 County Durham
3 Blackpool 019 Blackpool
4 Fylde 006 Fylde
5 Kensington and Chelsea 013 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheston

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Cheston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cheston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cheston is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cheston 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cheston

The surname Cheston is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the village of Cheston, located in the county of Staffordshire, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "cest" and "tun," which together mean "chestnut town" or "village of chestnuts."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Cheston can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population conducted in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing the surname Cheston were present in England during the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William Cheston was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1256. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, indicating that William Cheston was a landowner or taxpayer of some significance.

During the 14th century, the name Cheston appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, where John Cheston was listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the Cheston family held lands in the village of Cheston, which was recorded in the Inquisitiones Post Mortem (Inquisitions after Death) in 1376.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cheston in literature can be found in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," written in the late 14th century. In the "Reeve's Tale," a character named John Cheston is mentioned, suggesting that the surname was relatively well-known during Chaucer's time.

In the 16th century, Richard Cheston (c. 1490-1558) was a notable figure who served as the Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1536. Another prominent individual was Sir John Cheston (1521-1599), who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I and served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire.

Throughout history, several other individuals with the surname Cheston made notable contributions, such as Edward Cheston (1670-1745), a Quaker minister and writer from Pennsylvania, and Thomas Cheston (1691-1759), a merchant and landowner in Maryland.

While the surname Cheston is not as common today as it once was, it remains an important part of English historical records, reflecting the rich heritage and origins of this distinctive family name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cheston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cheston 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 28 Chestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 2.50x
Warwickshire 19 6.72x
Yorkshire 13 1.17x
Worcestershire 12 8.19x
Lancashire 8 0.60x
Surrey 6 1.10x
Hertfordshire 5 6.47x
Norfolk 4 2.32x
Staffordshire 4 1.06x
Sussex 4 2.11x
Buckinghamshire 3 4.42x
Caernarfonshire 3 6.61x
Hampshire 2 0.87x
Kent 2 0.52x
Gloucestershire 1 0.45x
Leicestershire 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 10 Chestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.70x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 10 16.70x
Edgbaston 9 102.62x
Solihull 9 443.35x
Droitwich St Nicholas 8 1481.48x
St Pancras London 7 7.75x
Wigan 7 37.63x
Barnsley 6 52.31x
Mile End Old Town London 6 25.13x
Wakefield 5 58.62x
Watford 5 83.33x
Brighton 4 10.48x
Claines 4 99.50x
Islington London 4 3.68x
Lambeth 4 4.09x
West Bromwich 4 18.45x
Iver 3 344.83x
Llanrug 3 252.10x
Epsom 2 75.19x
Heigham 2 21.60x
Normanby In 2 67.34x
Beckenham 1 20.00x
Berkeley 1 81.97x
Birmingham 1 1.06x
Christchurch 1 20.04x
Deptford St Paul 1 3.39x
Great Yarmouth 1 7.00x
Heaton Norris 1 13.19x
Holdenhurst 1 16.58x
Rotherby 1 1666.67x
Saham Toney 1 212.77x
Westminster St John 1 7.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 6
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Bessy 1
Caroline 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lottie 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Maud 1
Ruth 1
S. 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Tannie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
Charles 6
John 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
George 2
James 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Amhurst 1
Athur 1
Ben. 1
Chester 1
Conrad 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geoffrey 1
Leonard 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Cheston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cheston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Cheston surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cheston surname today?

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

What does the Cheston surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place name in England.

What does the Cheston map show?

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