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

Chestnut, 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 Chestnut surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chestnut in America

Chestnut is the 4478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chestnut surname appeared 7,924 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Chestnut.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chestnut 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 Chestnut

The surname Chestnut is of English origin and dates back to the late 11th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "chesten" or "chestnut," referring to someone who gathered or sold chestnuts. Alternatively, it may have originated as a place name for someone who lived near a chestnut tree or grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chestnut appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Chestnutt." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Chestenot" and "Chestenet," indicating the evolution of the spelling over time. During this period, the name was concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire, where chestnut trees were abundant.

Notable individuals with the surname Chestnut include Sir James Chestnut (1584-1652), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I. Another prominent figure was Robert Chestnut (1768-1824), an American Revolutionary War officer and politician from South Carolina.

In the 19th century, the Chestnut name gained prominence with Mary Chestnut (1823-1886), a renowned author and diarist from South Carolina whose writings provide valuable insights into the Civil War era. Another notable bearer of the name was James Chestnut (1815-1885), a South Carolina lawyer and politician who served as a Senator and brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Chestnut was the American athlete and entrepreneur James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (1913-1980), whose remarkable achievements at the 1936 Berlin Olympics earned him international acclaim. Although he was better known by his nickname, his birth name was James Cleveland Owens Chestnut.

The Chestnut surname has endured through the centuries, carried by individuals from various walks of life, from politicians and authors to athletes and military leaders. While its origins can be traced back to the humble occupation of gathering chestnuts, the name has become a part of the rich tapestry of English and American history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chestnut

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

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

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

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