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

Cheatham, 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 Cheatham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cheatham in America

Cheatham is the 2802nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cheatham surname appeared 12,852 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Cheatham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cheatham 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 Cheatham

The surname CHEATHAM has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ceat" (meaning a cottage or hut) and "ham" (a homestead or village), suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a small dwelling or hamlet.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CHEATHAM can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This record mentions a certain Leofric de Chetham, who held lands in the county of Lancashire.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Chetham, Chetam, and Cheetham, reflecting the varying spellings and pronunciations of the time. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Geoffrey de Chetham, a knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence under King Edward I in the late 13th century.

The CHEATHAM name is also associated with the town of Cheetham, now a district of Manchester, which likely took its name from the surname. Historical records indicate that the Chetham family held significant landholdings and influence in this area during the medieval and early modern periods.

Among the notable individuals who carried the CHEATHAM surname throughout history is Humphrey Chetham (1580-1653), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who founded Chetham's Hospital and Library in Manchester, one of the oldest public libraries in Britain.

Another prominent figure was James Chetham (1640-1692), an English clergyman and academic who served as the principal of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, and was known for his contributions to theological scholarship.

In the realm of literature, John Chetham (1700-1767) was an English poet and translator, renowned for his translations of classical works from Latin and Greek.

The CHEATHAM name has also been associated with military service, as exemplified by Sir Humphrey Chetham (1788-1870), a British Army officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later served as a Member of Parliament.

Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the CHEATHAM surname in America was James Cheatham (1741-1819), a soldier and politician who served as a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later as a member of the Tennessee state legislature.

While this summary covers some of the notable historical figures and origins of the CHEATHAM surname, it is important to note that the name's history is rich and diverse, with many more individuals and stories that have contributed to its legacy over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cheatham

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

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 Cheatham 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 Cheatham 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 Cheatham was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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