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

Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chesterfield in America

Chesterfield is the 45253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chesterfield surname appeared 473 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 Chesterfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield

The surname Chesterfield originated in England, specifically in the county of Derbyshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ceaster," meaning a Roman camp or town, and "feld," meaning a field or open land. The name refers to the town of Chesterfield, which was established in the early 7th century.

Chesterfield is first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Cestrefeld," reflecting its Anglo-Saxon roots. This early record indicates that the surname was likely adopted by families residing in or near the town of Chesterfield during the Norman period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chesterfield is found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire from 1176, which mention a "William de Chesterfield." This suggests that the surname was well-established by the 12th century and was likely used to identify individuals from the town of Chesterfield.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Chestrefeld" and "Chestrefelde," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Chesterfield (c. 1256-1317), a knight and landowner in Derbyshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname gained prominence with several notable figures. Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield (1584-1656), was a prominent English statesman and politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. His descendant, Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), was a renowned author, politician, and diplomat, best known for his influential letters on manners and etiquette.

Other notable individuals with the surname Chesterfield include:

1. Sir Roger Chesterfield (c. 1400-1470), a member of the English Parliament and a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses.
2. Henry Chesterfield (c. 1570-1637), an English philosopher and writer who published works on logic and rhetoric.
3. Mary Chesterfield (c. 1610-1685), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in Derbyshire, known for her charitable contributions to the local community.
4. George Chesterfield (1805-1872), a prominent industrialist and engineer who played a significant role in the development of the British railway system.
5. Elizabeth Chesterfield (1849-1932), a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's education, who founded several schools for girls in London.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chesterfield

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

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

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

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