NameCensus.

UK surname

Cheyney

An English habitational surname derived from the place name Cheney in Buckinghamshire.

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Cheyney surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Milton and Reading St Mary, Tilehurst, Theale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, North Mainland and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cheyney is 174 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.3%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1911

174 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cheyney had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 174 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cheyney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cheyney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cheyney 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 117 #21,658
1901 historical 163 #17,205
1911 historical 174 #16,311
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 136 #23,186
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 134 #25,525
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 134 #25,607
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Cheyneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Milton, Reading St Mary, Tilehurst, Theale and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, North Mainland, Basingstoke and Deane, Reading and Brighton and Hove. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Milton Hampshire
4 Reading St Mary, Tilehurst, Theale Berkshire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 004 Winchester
2 North Mainland Shetland Islands
3 Basingstoke and Deane 017 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Reading 002 Reading
5 Brighton and Hove 019 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cheyney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cheyney

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cheyney is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cheyney is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cheyney

The surname Cheyney is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 11th century. It derived from the Old English words "cæge" and "eg," meaning "key" and "island" or "dry ground surrounded by marsh." The name initially referred to a person residing on an island or a dry area surrounded by wetlands.

The earliest known record of the surname Cheyney dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Cagehey." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Cheyney is found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1181, where it appears as "Cagenie." This spelling variation demonstrates the evolution of the name over time.

In the 13th century, the surname was associated with the village of Cheney in Wiltshire, which was recorded as "Cheneye" in the Assize Rolls of 1268. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

Sir John Cheyney (c. 1362-1413) was a prominent figure during the Wars of the Roses, serving as the Chief Justice of the King's Bench under King Henry IV. He played a significant role in the legal and political landscape of his time.

Another notable individual bearing the surname was Sir Thomas Cheyney (c. 1485-1559), who served as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VIII and Queen Mary I.

In the 16th century, the surname Cheyney was also associated with the Cheyney family of Shurland House in Sheppey, Kent. This family held notable positions and influence in the region.

Sir Henry Cheyney (c. 1550-1616) was a respected military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I and was appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Colonel William Cheyney (c. 1610-1685) played a significant role as a Parliamentarian officer and later served as a member of the Council of State under Oliver Cromwell.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Cheyney who have left their mark on history, demonstrating the long-standing presence and influence of this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cheyney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cheyney 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. Hampshire leads with 33 Cheyneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.94x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 33 17.94x
Surrey 20 4.57x
Berkshire 16 23.75x
Kent 10 3.27x
Middlesex 5 0.56x
Wiltshire 4 5.04x
Carmarthenshire 1 2.64x
Cornwall 1 0.98x
Leicestershire 1 1.01x
Warwickshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Milton in Hampshire leads with 17 Cheyneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3695.65x.

Place Total Index
Milton 17 3695.65x
Reading St Mary 9 166.67x
Beckenham 8 200.00x
Reigate Foreign 8 169.13x
Camberwell 7 12.21x
Alverstoke 4 60.06x
Basingstoke 4 188.68x
Battersea 4 12.11x
Downton 4 384.62x
Fawley 4 689.66x
Tilehurst 3 220.59x
Bray 2 101.01x
Holdenhurst 2 41.49x
Kensington London 2 4.01x
Burton Overy 1 769.23x
Chatham 1 11.88x
Christchurch 1 25.06x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.72x
Folkestone 1 16.84x
Hammersmith London 1 4.52x
Haslemere 1 294.12x
Hungerford 1 109.89x
Llanelly 1 11.74x
Paddington London 1 3.03x
Perranzabuloe 1 113.64x
Portsmouth 1 23.58x
Reading St Giles 1 15.13x
Warwick St Nicholas 1 60.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Kate 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Francis 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Annie 1
Emily 1
Flora 1
G. 1
Harriet 1
Herbert 1
Judith 1
Lucy 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Charles 4
Henry 4
Thomas 4
George 3
John 3
Edwd. 2
James 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Edwd.J. 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.Rd. 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jas.Wilson 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Rupert 1
W. 1
Wilson 1

FAQ

Cheyney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cheyney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Cheyney surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cheyney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Cheyney a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Cheyney surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from the place name Cheney in Buckinghamshire.

What does the Cheyney map show?

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