2000
#2,384
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,935
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.17
Uncommon Last name
Chatman
An occupational surname referring to a merchant or tradesman who buys and sells goods.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 17,427 Americans carry the last name Chatman. That puts it at #2,335 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 19,668 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chatman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Chatman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
17K
1 in 19,668
Census rank
#2,335
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,197 bearers of the surname Chatman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2335th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chatman, the largest self-reported group is Black at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (14.1%) and Two or More Races (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chatman
The surname Chatman has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cete" and "mann," which translate to "cottage" and "man," respectively. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a small, rural dwelling or worked as a cottager.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where it is listed as "Chatmanne." This spelling variation indicates the fluidity of surnames during that time period and the influence of regional dialects on their evolution.
Over the centuries, the name has taken on various spellings, including Chatman, Chattman, Chetman, and Cheteman. Some of these variants may have originated from specific locations or regions where the name was prevalent.
In the 16th century, the Chatman name was found in the parish records of Gloucestershire, suggesting a strong presence in that area. This connection to Gloucestershire is further reinforced by the existence of the village of Chatman's Hill, which likely took its name from an early settler or landowner with the surname.
One notable individual bearing the Chatman name was John Chatman, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 17th century. His trade and maritime ventures contributed to the city's prosperity during that era.
Another historically significant figure was Sir Robert Chatman, a member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark in the mid-18th century. He played a role in shaping political discourse and legislation during his time in office.
In the 19th century, the name appeared in the records of the East India Company, with William Chatman serving as a captain in the company's maritime fleet. His voyages to the Indian subcontinent and other parts of Asia were instrumental in facilitating trade and cultural exchange.
Reverend Thomas Chatman, born in 1820, was a prominent clergyman in the Church of England. He served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire for over three decades and was known for his dedication to his parish and community.
Finally, in the early 20th century, the artist and illustrator Edith Chatman gained recognition for her intricate woodcut prints and book illustrations. Her works often depicted scenes from rural English life and celebrated the beauty of the countryside.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chatman
Among Census respondents with the surname Chatman, the largest self-reported group is Black at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (14.1%) and Two or More Races (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Chatman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Chatman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American76.1% · 11,560
- White14.1% · 2,141
- Two or more races6.1% · 920
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 481
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 42
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chatman
Chatman appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,355
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,473
+1,538 bearers (+11.0%)
Per 100,000 5.25
Rank movement Up 29 places
2020
#2,335
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,197
-276 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 5.08
Rank movement Up 20 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,384 | 13,935 | 5.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,355 | 15,473 | 5.25 | +1,538 bearers (+11.0%) | Up 29 places |
| 2020 | #2,335 | 15,197 | 5.08 | -276 bearers (-1.8%) | Up 20 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Chatman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,355 | #2,335 | 0.8% |
| Count | 15,473 | 15,197 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 5.25 | 5.08 | -3.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chatman bearers went from 15,473 to 15,197 (-1.8% change). The surname moved up 20 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,355 to #2,335.
FAQ
Chatman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chatman?
Name Census estimates that about 17,427 living Americans carry the surname Chatman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 19,668 residents.
How common is Chatman?
Chatman ranks #2,335 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 15,197 people with the surname Chatman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (17,427), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Chatman.
Has Chatman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chatman went from 15,473 recorded bearers to 15,197. That is a decrease of 276 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,355 to #2,335.
What does the Census say about the background of Chatman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chatman, the largest self-reported group is Black at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (14.1%) and Two or More Races (6.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chatman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (11,560 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chatman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (76.1%), White (14.1%), Two or More Races (6.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Chatman (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Chatman mean?
An occupational surname referring to a merchant or tradesman who buys and sells goods. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Chatman (5.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Chatman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.