2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cheske
A surname derived from the Polish word "czesc" meaning honor or reverence.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Cheske. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cheske 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.
Bearers in the US
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Cheske in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheske, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cheske
The surname CHESKE has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and the surrounding regions. It is believed to have emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Slavic word "cheski," which means "Czech" or "Bohemian."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CHESKE can be found in a Polish church registry from the city of Krakow, dating back to the late 16th century. The entry mentions a certain Jakub CHESKE, who was a merchant and landowner in the region. This suggests that the name was already established among the local population at that time.
In the 17th century, the name CHESKE appeared in several historical documents related to the Polish nobility. One notable figure was Jan CHESKE, a military officer who served in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's army during the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648-1657. He was known for his bravery and loyalty to the Commonwealth.
As the centuries progressed, the CHESKE surname spread beyond Poland to other parts of Eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine. In the 19th century, a prominent Czech writer and philosopher named Karel CHESKE (1820-1892) gained recognition for his contributions to the Czech national revival movement.
Another notable individual bearing the CHESKE surname was Wladyslaw CHESKE (1876-1945), a Polish physicist and inventor. He made significant contributions to the field of radio technology and was one of the pioneers of radio communication in Poland.
During the early 20th century, the name CHESKE also found its way to the United States through immigration from Eastern Europe. One of the earliest recorded examples is that of Jozef CHESKE (1890-1967), who arrived in New York City in 1912 and later became a successful businessman in the textile industry.
While the origin and meaning of the surname CHESKE can be traced back to its Slavic roots, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Its historical significance remains embedded in the rich tapestry of Eastern European heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cheske
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheske, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Cheske 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 Cheske surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 5
- Black or African American2.0% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cheske
Cheske 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-11 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,009 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-8 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,818 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 20,009 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -8 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 4,818 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 Cheske 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 | #150,452 | #155,270 | -3.2% |
| Count | 109 | 101 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cheske bearers went from 109 to 101 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 4,818 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #155,270.
FAQ
Cheske surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cheske?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Cheske. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Cheske?
Cheske ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Cheske. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cheske.
Has Cheske become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cheske went from 109 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 8 (-7.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Cheske?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cheske, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (2.0%). 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 Cheske in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cheske appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (5.0%), Black (2.0%). 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 Cheske (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 Cheske mean?
A surname derived from the Polish word "czesc" meaning honor or reverence. 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 Cheske (0.03 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 Cheske?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Cheske on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.