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

Cheever, 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 Cheever surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cheever in America

Cheever is the 13657th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cheever surname appeared 2,217 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cheever.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cheever 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 Cheever

The surname Cheever is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "cefre" or "cefer," which referred to a type of beetle or insect. This suggests that the name may have been given as a nickname to someone who was associated with these insects, perhaps a collector or seller of them.

The earliest recorded instances of the Cheever name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is John Chever, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273. Additionally, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 as "Chevar."

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cheever surname began to spread across various regions of England, particularly in counties like Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. This was a period when many people adopted fixed surnames, and the spelling variations of the name included Chever, Chevar, and Chevere.

One notable individual bearing the Cheever surname was Ezekiel Cheever, an English-born educator who lived from 1615 to 1708. He is considered one of the principal founders of New England's educational system and played a significant role in establishing several schools in Massachusetts.

Another prominent figure was Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney Cheever, an American author and educator born in 1824. She wrote several books, including "The Childrens' Poets," and was actively involved in the women's suffrage movement.

In the literary world, John Cheever (1912-1982) stands out as one of the most renowned individuals with this surname. He was an American novelist and short story writer best known for his works such as "The Wapshot Chronicle" and "Falconer," which earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards.

Other notable individuals with the Cheever surname include Benjamin Hudson Cheever (1908-1977), an American novelist and teacher, and Susan Cheever (born 1943), an American novelist and memoirist who is the daughter of John Cheever.

While the Cheever surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to North America and other English-speaking countries. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period, where it likely began as a descriptive nickname for someone associated with insects or beetles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cheever

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

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

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

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