Find out how popular the last name Cheatem is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cheatem.

Cheatem, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cheatem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cheatem in America

Cheatem is the 70208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cheatem surname appeared 279 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cheatem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cheatem to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cheatem

The surname CHEATEM originated in England during the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cheaten" and "em," which together meant "the deceiver." This suggests that the name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone known for their deceptive or dishonest behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CHEATEM name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a certain Robert Cheatem is mentioned. Additionally, the name appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1221, referring to a William Cheatem.

In the 14th century, the CHEATEM name began to appear in various manorial records and court rolls across different parts of England. For example, a John Cheatem is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, while a Thomas Cheatem is recorded in the Court Rolls of Wiltshire from 1379.

During the 16th century, the name took on variations in spelling, such as "Cheatham" and "Cheatum." One notable bearer of the CHEATEM name was Sir John Cheatem (1512-1572), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He is mentioned in several historical documents, including the Lincolnshire Wills and Inventories from 1568.

Another prominent individual with the CHEATEM surname was Elizabeth Cheatem (1635-1709), a Puritan writer and religious activist from Gloucestershire. She authored several pamphlets and treatises on religious topics, some of which are preserved in the British Library.

In the 18th century, the CHEATEM name spread further across England, with bearers of the name appearing in various parish records and census records. One notable example is William Cheatem (1718-1792), a wealthy landowner from Oxfordshire, whose name is recorded in the Oxfordshire Hearth Tax Returns of 1665.

While the CHEATEM name originated in England, it eventually spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of migration and colonization. However, the name remains most prevalent in its country of origin, where it continues to have a long and storied history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cheatem

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cheatem.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cheatem was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cheatem has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cheatem was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cheatem, please contact us.

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