Chesnee
Of disputed origin, possibly from a Native American Catawba word meaning "fish or fish pond".
Name Census estimates that about 220 living Americans carry the first name Chesnee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Chesnee today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Chesnee births was 2004 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Chesnee. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
220
~ 1 in 1,557,974 Americans
Peak year
2004
16 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2022 SSA rank
#10,560
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Chesnee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Chesnee from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 100 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Chesnee by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Chesnee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Chesnees live
Origin
Meaning and history of Chesnee
The name Chesnee has its origins in the Middle English language, emerging around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "chestnut," referring to the edible nut or the tree itself. The name likely originated as a descriptive term, potentially referring to someone who lived near chestnut trees or had a connection to the nut.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chesnee can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appeared as a place name, Chesnee, referring to a settlement in the county of Wiltshire.
In the 14th century, the name Chesnee gained popularity as a given name, particularly among families with ties to the land or forestry. During this time, it was not uncommon for individuals to adopt names inspired by their surroundings or occupations.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Chesnee was Chesnee de Wiltshire, a noblewoman and landowner who lived in the late 13th century. Records indicate that she inherited substantial estates in Wiltshire and played a significant role in local affairs.
Another person of note was Chesnee Forrester, a renowned forester and botanist who lived in the 16th century. Born in 1543, Forrester made significant contributions to the study of trees and forests, earning recognition for his comprehensive work on the chestnut tree and its cultivation.
In the realm of literature, the name Chesnee found its way into several works of fiction. One such example is the character of Chesnee Woodsman in the 18th-century novel "The Forester's Daughter" by Sir Walter Scott. This character was portrayed as a skilled woodsman and hunter, reflecting the association of the name with nature and the outdoors.
During the 19th century, the name Chesnee experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in the United States. One notable individual was Chesnee Harrington, born in 1812, who was a celebrated author and poet known for her works celebrating the natural beauty of the American landscapes.
Lastly, in the early 20th century, Chesnee Appleton (1892-1976) was a prominent environmentalist and conservationist. She dedicated her life to preserving natural habitats and advocating for sustainable forestry practices, further solidifying the name's connection to nature and the great outdoors.
People
Chesnee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Chesnee as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Chesnee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Chesnee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 220 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Chesnee going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,557,974 US residents.
Is Chesnee a common name?
We classify Chesnee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 223 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Chesnee most popular?
The single biggest year for Chesnee was 2004, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Chesnee is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Chesnee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Chesnee in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.