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

Chesser, 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 Chesser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chesser in America

Chesser is the 6047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chesser surname appeared 5,675 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Chesser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chesser 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 Chesser

The surname Chesser has its origins in England, first appearing in historical records during the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "chesser," meaning "cheese maker" or "cheese seller." This occupation-based surname likely arose from an individual who was involved in the production or trade of cheese.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a person named Robert le Chesser is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in certain parts of England by the late 12th century.

The Chesser surname is also thought to have connections to various place names in England, such as Cheshire, which was formerly known as "Chessyre" or "Chesshyre." This county is known for its rich dairy industry, further strengthening the association between the name and cheese-making.

During the 13th century, the Chesser name appeared in several medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which listed a Walter le Chesser. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also mentioned a John le Chesser, indicating the widespread distribution of the name across different regions of England.

Notable individuals bearing the Chesser surname throughout history include:

1. John Chesser (c. 1524-1587), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.
2. William Chesser (1706-1763), a Scottish merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the development of the tobacco trade between Glasgow and Virginia.
3. Elizabeth Chesser (1800-1873), a philanthropist and social reformer from Scotland, known for her work in improving living conditions for the poor and advocating for educational opportunities for women.
4. William Chesser (1878-1952), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Leicestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.
5. Robert Chesser (1905-1979), an American ornithologist and evolutionary biologist, known for his research on the genetics and evolution of birds, particularly the House Sparrow.

Over time, various spelling variations of the Chesser surname have emerged, including Chessor, Cheser, and Chessur, reflecting regional dialects and the evolution of the English language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chesser

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

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

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

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