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

Chet, 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 Chet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chet in America

Chet is the 115639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chet surname appeared 151 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 Chet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chet 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 Chet

The surname Chet is believed to have originated in England, possibly as early as the 11th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "chet," which referred to a small dwelling or hut. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who lived in a modest abode or worked as a laborer or tenant farmer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chet can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of lands and properties across England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in several entries, indicating that it was already in use as a surname at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Chet was primarily concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire, though it is likely that families bearing this name also resided in other parts of southern and central England.

In the 13th century, a man named John Chet was recorded as residing in the village of Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire. This is one of the earliest documented individuals with this surname.

Another notable figure in the history of the Chet surname was Sir Thomas Chet, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, a family by the name of Chet owned lands and properties in the village of Shabbington, Oxfordshire. This lineage continued for several generations, with members of the Chet family serving as local gentry and landowners in the area.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain William Chet was known to have fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell.

In the 18th century, a man named James Chet emigrated from England to the American colonies, settling in Virginia. He is believed to be among the earliest bearers of the Chet surname to establish roots in what would become the United States.

Over time, the surname Chet has spread to various parts of the world, with descendants of these early English families now residing in countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chet

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

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

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

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