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

Chesnut, 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 Chesnut surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chesnut in America

Chesnut is the 9652nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chesnut surname appeared 3,362 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 Chesnut.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chesnut 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 Chesnut

The surname Chesnut has its origins in England, derived from the Middle English word "chesten" or "chestnut," referring to the edible nut of the chestnut tree. The name likely emerged as a descriptive surname during the medieval period, given to individuals who lived near a chestnut tree or grove, or who were associated with the cultivation or trade of chestnuts.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 13th century, with references found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Chestnut." The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, spelled as "Chesteneyt."

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to places with names containing the element "chest" or "chesten," such as Chesterton in Cambridgeshire and Chestnut Hill in Essex, suggesting that the surname may have originated from these locales.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Chesnut, a merchant from London, who is mentioned in records from the early 15th century. Another notable figure was Sir John Chesnut, a English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France in the mid-15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Chestnut, Chesnutt, and Chesnett, reflecting the inconsistent orthography of the time. One prominent individual from this period was Sir John Chesnutt (1558-1634), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury.

In the literary realm, Robert Chestnut (1720-1783) was an English poet and playwright, known for his satirical works and contributions to periodicals such as The Gentleman's Magazine.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Chesnut (1795-1872), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the surname Chesnut in England, as well as its association with various professions and social ranks throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chesnut

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

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

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

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