NameCensus.

UK surname

Chiles

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of chile peppers or spices.

In the 1881 census there were 289 people recorded with the Chiles surname, ranking it #9,968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #9,968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tamworth, London parishes and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Chiltern and Tamworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chiles is 470 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

289

Ranked #9,968

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

1998

470 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chiles had 289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 434 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Chiles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chiles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chiles 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 188 #10,939
1861 historical 281 #8,921
1881 historical 289 #9,968
1891 historical 278 #11,746
1901 historical 385 #9,730
1911 historical 434 #8,740
1997 modern 450 #10,075
1998 modern 470 #10,066
1999 modern 453 #10,400
2000 modern 446 #10,516
2001 modern 421 #10,789
2002 modern 418 #11,084
2003 modern 408 #11,115
2004 modern 406 #11,155
2005 modern 406 #11,061
2006 modern 398 #11,304
2007 modern 395 #11,481
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 418 #11,309
2010 modern 431 #11,285
2011 modern 428 #11,219
2012 modern 402 #11,683
2013 modern 407 #11,766
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 412 #11,642
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Chiles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tamworth, London parishes, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford 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 Caerphilly, Chiltern, Tamworth and South Norfolk. 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 Tamworth Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
4 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 010 Caerphilly
2 Chiltern 001 Chiltern
3 Tamworth 001 Tamworth
4 Tamworth 003 Tamworth
5 South Norfolk 002 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chiles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chiles

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Chiles 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

Chiles is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chiles 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 Chiles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Chiles

The surname Chiles has its origins in Spain, where it is derived from the Spanish word "chile," which means "chili pepper." The name likely originated in the 16th or 17th century, when the chili pepper was first introduced to Europe from the Americas.

In Spain, the name Chiles was often associated with individuals who cultivated or traded in chili peppers. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various documents from the 16th and 17th centuries, such as parish records and municipal archives.

One notable individual bearing the surname Chiles was Pedro Chiles, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Americas in the late 16th century. Another early record of the name is found in the Archivo General de Indias, a collection of historical documents related to the Spanish Empire in the Americas, where a certain Juan Chiles is mentioned as a merchant operating in Mexico in the early 17th century.

As Spanish exploration and colonization spread across the Americas, the surname Chiles likely traveled with individuals who settled in various regions. For instance, there are records of individuals with the surname Chiles living in areas of present-day Chile and Peru in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the United States, the surname Chiles can be traced back to the 18th century, when Spanish settlers and immigrants began arriving in regions like Texas, New Mexico, and California. One notable figure with this surname was John Chiles (1761-1838), a pioneer and explorer who was among the first English-speaking settlers in the Missouri Territory.

Other individuals bearing the surname Chiles who have made significant contributions include Benjamin Chiles (1805-1886), a prominent lawyer and judge in Missouri during the 19th century, and Abram Chiles (1825-1905), a Baptist minister and educator who played a crucial role in establishing several educational institutions in Texas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chiles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chiles 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. Warwickshire leads with 64 Chiles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.97x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 64 8.97x
Middlesex 52 1.84x
Surrey 33 2.39x
Essex 30 5.37x
Suffolk 15 4.35x
Glamorgan 14 2.84x
Dorset 11 5.92x
Kent 10 1.04x
Yorkshire 9 0.32x
Hampshire 8 1.38x
Sussex 7 1.47x
Lincolnshire 6 1.33x
Somerset 6 1.32x
Staffordshire 6 0.63x
Herefordshire 5 4.31x
Pembrokeshire 5 5.56x
Lancashire 3 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.56x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.84x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Shropshire 1 0.41x
Worcestershire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 39 Chiles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.85x.

Place Total Index
Aston 39 19.85x
Bolehall Glascote 13 430.46x
Camberwell 13 7.19x
St Pancras London 13 5.71x
Bermondsey 12 14.25x
Birmingham 12 5.05x
Elsenham 9 2000.00x
Mendlesham 9 825.69x
Barton Stacey 8 1481.48x
Denaby 8 503.14x
Kensington London 8 5.09x
Ystradyfodwg 8 18.51x
Burton Bradstock 7 760.87x
Hackney London 7 4.41x
St Marylebone London 7 4.63x
Acton 6 36.19x
Boston 6 43.73x
Great Dunmow 6 206.19x
Seaford 6 370.37x
Clerkenwell London 5 7.49x
Hereford All Sts 5 94.16x
Kingswinford 5 14.42x
Aldham 4 952.38x
Deptford St Paul 4 5.37x
Ramsgate 4 25.40x
Swansea Town 4 9.91x
Tenby St Mary In 4 87.34x
West Stafford 4 2105.26x
Brimpton 3 2727.27x
Maldon St Peter 3 105.63x
Chigwell 2 37.95x
Cwmdu 2 33.33x
Huyton With Roby 2 50.89x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 17.11x
Islington London 2 0.73x
Lambeth 2 0.81x
Little Canfield 2 689.66x
Lowestoft 2 12.29x
Mitcham 2 22.96x
St George Hanover Square 2 4.01x
Weeley 2 344.83x
Weston 2 57.14x
Battersea 1 0.96x
Bempton 1 333.33x
Brighton 1 1.04x
Castleton 1 2.98x
Cheltenham 1 2.34x
Colchester St James 1 44.25x
Crayford 1 23.70x
Edgcott 1 555.56x
Gumfreston 1 1111.11x
Hartlebury 1 45.45x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.02x
Laugharne 1 63.29x
Old Cleeve 1 61.35x
Richards Castle 1 135.14x
Shenfield 1 68.97x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.76x
Speldhurst 1 20.37x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 8.16x
St Botolph Cambridge 1 217.39x
St Clement Danes London 1 17.09x
Theberton 1 172.41x
Tooting Graveney 1 26.04x
Wickham Skeith 1 204.08x
Wolverhampton 1 1.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Harriett 5
Jane 5
Caroline 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Ann 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Phoebe 3
Selina 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Louisa 2
Arabella 1
Auslena 1
Betsey 1
Blanche 1
Broletta 1
Catherine 1
Clarissa 1
Deborah 1
E. 1
Elisa 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
J. 1
Jeaney 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Levinia 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rebecca 1
Voilet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
William 16
Thomas 13
George 10
Charles 9
James 8
Edward 6
Albert 5
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Cyrus 2
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Richard 2
Willm. 2
A. 1
Alexandra 1
Archie 1
C. 1
Chiles 1
Earle 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
G. 1
Herbert 1
Isac 1
Josiah 1
Lindsey 1
Major 1
Mark 1
Nathan 1
Owen 1
Phillip 1
T. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Chiles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chiles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 289 people were recorded with the Chiles surname. That placed it at #9,968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chiles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Chiles a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Chiles surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of chile peppers or spices.

What does the Chiles map show?

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