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

Cheffen, 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 Cheffen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cheffen in America

Cheffen is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cheffen surname appeared 112 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 Cheffen.

The history of the last name Cheffen

The surname CHEFFEN is of English origin, first appearing in records during the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cæfan," meaning "to seize" or "to take," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a tax collector or a court official responsible for seizing goods or property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Ipswich, Suffolk, where a certain John Cheffen was mentioned in 1592. It is possible that the name was initially concentrated in the East Anglian region of England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of England, with records showing Cheffens residing in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. One noteworthy individual from this period was Richard Cheffen (1629-1698), a yeoman farmer from the village of Steeple Aston in Oxfordshire.

By the 18th century, the CHEFFEN name had become more widespread across England, with several variations in spelling emerging, such as Cheffen, Cheffin, and Cheffyn. In 1724, a document from the town of Diss in Norfolk mentioned a William Cheffyn, who was likely a local landowner or prominent citizen.

During the 19th century, the CHEFFEN surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with some notable individuals bearing the name. These include John Cheffen (1802-1875), a wealthy merchant from London, and Samuel Cheffen (1832-1912), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Midlands region.

Other historical figures with the CHEFFEN surname include:

1. Thomas Cheffen (1772-1845), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
2. Mary Cheffen (1815-1892), a philanthropist and social reformer from Manchester.
3. James Cheffen (1861-1938), a politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Cheltenham.
4. William Cheffen (1872-1945), a renowned painter and artist whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy.
5. Edith Cheffen (1893-1968), a celebrated novelist and author of several best-selling books in the early 20th century.

While the CHEFFEN name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration, with descendants of the original English Cheffens now found in various countries and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cheffen

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

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 Cheffen 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.

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

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

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