NameCensus.

UK surname

Chew

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of candles.

In the 1881 census there were 1,525 people recorded with the Chew surname, ranking it #2,757 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,903, ranked #3,340, down from #2,757 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Skipton, Preston and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pendle, East Riding of Yorkshire and Ribble Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chew is 2,025 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.8%.

1881 census count

1,525

Ranked #2,757

Modern count

1,903

2016, ranked #3,340

Peak year

2010

2,025 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chew had 1,525 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,757 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,903 in 2016, ranked #3,340.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,957 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Chew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chew 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 1,099 #2,560
1861 historical 986 #2,825
1881 historical 1,525 #2,757
1891 historical 1,594 #2,794
1901 historical 1,800 #2,908
1911 historical 1,957 #2,538
1997 modern 1,885 #3,196
1998 modern 1,913 #3,274
1999 modern 1,951 #3,241
2000 modern 1,906 #3,294
2001 modern 1,883 #3,260
2002 modern 1,935 #3,263
2003 modern 1,886 #3,260
2004 modern 1,878 #3,273
2005 modern 1,850 #3,284
2006 modern 1,884 #3,254
2007 modern 1,921 #3,223
2008 modern 1,925 #3,236
2009 modern 1,968 #3,258
2010 modern 2,025 #3,245
2011 modern 1,997 #3,237
2012 modern 1,975 #3,219
2013 modern 2,001 #3,240
2014 modern 1,971 #3,301
2015 modern 1,929 #3,325
2016 modern 1,903 #3,340

Geography

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Where Chews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Skipton, Preston, Blackburn, Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pendle, East Riding of Yorkshire, Ribble Valley and Leeds. 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 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pendle 001 Pendle
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 012 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Ribble Valley 003 Ribble Valley
4 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley
5 Leeds 074 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chew

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chew, 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 Chew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Chew 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Chew is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chew 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

Chew falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chew 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Chew

The surname Chew is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "ceow," which means "jaw" or "chew." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person with a prominent or distinctive jaw.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chew can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "William Cheoue." This document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, served as a survey of landowners and their holdings.

In the 14th century, the name Chew appeared in various forms, such as "Chewe" and "Chue," in various records and documents across England. For instance, the "Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem" from 1365 mentions a "John Chewe" from Oxfordshire.

The Domesday Book, a remarkable survey of landowners and their estates commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not explicitly mention the surname Chew. However, it does record several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Chew Magna and Chew Stoke in Somerset.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Chew was Sir John Chew (c. 1520-1586), a member of Parliament and Sheriff of Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Samuel Chew (1693-1744), a prominent lawyer and judge in colonial Pennsylvania.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Chew (1722-1810) was a notable American lawyer, judge, and chief justice of Pennsylvania. He was also a close friend and confidant of George Washington.

Moving forward, Henry Chew (1808-1894) was a prominent English businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Nottingham.

Lastly, Oswald Chew (1892-1967) was a distinguished British naval officer who served during World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of Admiral.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Chew throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and professions across different eras and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chew 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. Lancashire leads with 677 Chews recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.84x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 677 3.84x
Yorkshire 318 2.16x
Gloucestershire 105 3.60x
Middlesex 91 0.61x
Staffordshire 49 0.98x
Northamptonshire 36 2.58x
Warwickshire 36 0.96x
Bedfordshire 33 4.29x
Essex 24 0.82x
Hertfordshire 17 1.66x
Surrey 16 0.22x
Wiltshire 16 1.22x
Cheshire 15 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 13 1.45x
Devon 9 0.29x
Glamorgan 9 0.35x
Kent 9 0.18x
Shropshire 8 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.74x
Hampshire 7 0.23x
Leicestershire 7 0.43x
Lincolnshire 5 0.21x
Berkshire 4 0.36x
Derbyshire 4 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.34x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.04x
Sussex 1 0.04x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 111 Chews recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.67x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 111 23.67x
Haslingden 105 143.84x
Skipton 51 110.08x
Stroud 38 67.02x
Birmingham 35 2.80x
Oldham 27 4.75x
Preston 27 5.72x
Habergham Eaves 26 16.14x
Burnley 24 16.17x
Gorton 22 13.28x
Clitheroe 20 38.54x
Over Darwen 19 13.49x
Holbeck 18 18.46x
Spotland 18 9.18x
Batley 16 11.44x
Bridlington 16 47.46x
Great Harwood 16 50.20x
Filey 15 126.16x
Whalley 15 58.39x
Darlaston 14 20.20x
Layton With Warbreck 14 21.64x
Warley 14 32.90x
Accrington 13 8.11x
Trentham 13 30.48x
West Derby 13 2.52x
Bolton By Bowland 12 336.13x
Bury 12 5.96x
St Marylebone London 12 1.51x
Bisley 11 41.67x
Eversholt 11 281.33x
Stoke Hammond 11 591.40x
Wyke In Bradford 11 41.78x
Colne 10 19.04x
Gargrave 10 152.44x
Leeds 10 1.20x
North Meols 10 5.79x
Northowram 10 9.69x
Otley 10 27.97x
Aberdare 9 5.07x
Bramley In Bramley 9 15.97x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 10.17x
Flamborough 9 126.23x
Leyton 9 17.82x
Manchester 9 1.14x
Newton In Makerfield 9 16.67x
Radcliffe 9 10.59x
Bentley 8 467.84x
Chipping Barnet 8 44.67x
Clayton Le Moors 8 23.39x
Gisburn 8 296.30x
Guiseley 8 42.44x
Islington London 8 0.56x
Lower Booths 8 25.32x
North Weald Bassett 8 156.86x
St Pancras London 8 0.67x
Toxteth Park 8 1.34x
Willerby In Scarborough 8 377.36x
Clayton 7 19.43x
Horsley 7 54.22x
Horton 7 1750.00x
Leicester St Margaret 7 1.74x
Luton 7 5.26x
Stoke Damerel 7 3.23x
Sunbury 7 39.22x
Swindon 7 6.87x
Wellington 7 9.70x
Biggleswade 6 23.82x
Bilston 6 6.17x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 4.29x
Cheltenham 6 2.67x
Chorley In Macclesfield 6 60.06x
Edgeworth 6 63.36x
Fairford 6 77.12x
Hammersmith London 6 1.64x
Horton In Bradford 6 2.61x
Hunslet 6 2.61x
Malmesbury St Paul 6 53.10x
Wotton St Mary 6 39.71x
Bradford 5 1.40x
Burton Extra 5 17.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 112
Elizabeth 67
Sarah 49
Jane 41
Alice 34
Ann 31
Ellen 31
Margaret 31
Annie 26
Emma 17
Emily 13
Martha 13
Eliza 12
Harriet 12
Hannah 11
Catherine 10
Caroline 9
Charlotte 9
Edith 9
Betsy 8
Clara 8
Lucy 8
Nancy 8
Susannah 8
Anne 7
Fanny 7
Florence 6
Frances 6
Louisa 6
Maria 6
Susan 6
Agnes 5
Harriett 5
Isabella 5
Ada 4
Betty 4
Eleanor 4
Esther 4
Julia 4
Dorothy 3
Gertrude 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Matilda 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Elizth. 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
Minnie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 105
John 99
James 74
Thomas 61
Joseph 29
George 27
Henry 20
Robert 20
Charles 19
Edward 18
Richard 18
Albert 15
Arthur 14
Alfred 13
Samuel 11
Frederick 10
Harry 8
Walter 8
Wm. 8
David 6
Edwin 6
Thos. 6
Francis 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Joshua 4
Sidney 4
Andrew 3
Archibald 3
Ben 3
Ernest 3
Harold 3
Henery 3
Lawrence 3
Richd. 3
Aaron 2
Allan 2
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Ebenezer 2
Edgar 2
Eli 2
Enoch 2
Jesse 2
Josiah 2
Kendal 2
Lewis 2
Zachaiah 1

FAQ

Chew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,525 people were recorded with the Chew surname. That placed it at #2,757 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,903 in 2016. That gives Chew a modern rank of #3,340.

What does the Chew surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of candles.

What does the Chew map show?

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