2000
#9,997
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,975
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.10
Rare Last name
Cheshire
From the county of Cheshire, England, derived from Old English ceaster, meaning "fort," and scir, meaning "county."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,441 Americans carry the last name Cheshire. That puts it at #10,222 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,609 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cheshire 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 Cheshire with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 99,609
Census rank
#10,222
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,001 bearers of the surname Cheshire in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10222nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheshire, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cheshire
The surname Cheshire originated in England, specifically in the county of Cheshire, which is located in the northwest region of the country. The name can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, with its roots stemming from the Old English words "cēse" and "scir," which together translate to "cheese shire" or "the shire where cheese was produced."
The earliest known appearance of the name Cheshire can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and properties throughout England and parts of Wales. This document contained references to individuals residing in the county of Cheshire, indicating the surname's existence during the 11th century.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Cheshire gained prominence among families residing within the county and its surrounding areas. One notable figure was Sir John Cheshire, a Knight of the Garter who lived in the late 14th century and served under King Richard II. Another early bearer of the name was William Cheshire, a merchant and alderman in the city of Chester during the 15th century.
In the 16th century, the surname Cheshire was further solidified, with records showing its presence in various parts of England. One prominent individual was Sir John Cheshire (1545-1617), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Halton, Cheshire. Another notable figure was Richard Cheshire (1569-1632), a clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Cheshire.
As time progressed, the surname Cheshire spread beyond its county of origin, with families bearing the name establishing roots in other parts of England and eventually migrating to other parts of the world. Notable individuals include John Cheshire (1613-1669), a merchant and colonist who settled in Virginia, and Sir Bevil Cheshire (1645-1703), a military officer and Member of Parliament from Devonshire.
The name Cheshire has also been associated with various place names within the county, such as Cheshire Cheese Farm, Cheshire Cat Inn, and Cheshire Cheese Cave, reflecting the region's historical connection to cheese production and dairy farming.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cheshire
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheshire, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Cheshire 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 Cheshire surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 2,713
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 103
- Two or more races3.4% · 102
- Black or African American1.2% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 21
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cheshire
Cheshire 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
#10,334
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,117
+142 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.06
Rank movement Down 337 places
2020
#10,222
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,001
-116 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 112 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,997 | 2,975 | 1.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,334 | 3,117 | 1.06 | +142 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 337 places |
| 2020 | #10,222 | 3,001 | 1.00 | -116 bearers (-3.7%) | Up 112 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 Cheshire 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 | #10,334 | #10,222 | 1.1% |
| Count | 3,117 | 3,001 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.06 | 1.00 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cheshire bearers went from 3,117 to 3,001 (-3.7% change). The surname moved up 112 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,334 to #10,222.
FAQ
Cheshire surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cheshire?
Name Census estimates that about 3,441 living Americans carry the surname Cheshire. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,609 residents.
How common is Cheshire?
Cheshire ranks #10,222 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,001 people with the surname Cheshire. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,441), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.00 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Cheshire.
Has Cheshire become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cheshire went from 3,117 recorded bearers to 3,001. That is a decrease of 116 (-3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,334 to #10,222.
What does the Census say about the background of Cheshire?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheshire, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cheshire in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (2,713 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cheshire appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Cheshire (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 Cheshire mean?
From the county of Cheshire, England, derived from Old English ceaster, meaning "fort," and scir, meaning "county." 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 Cheshire (1.00 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 people are called Cheshire?
Find out how many people have the last name Cheshire on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.