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

Chidester, 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 Chidester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chidester in America

Chidester is the 10724th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chidester surname appeared 2,979 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 Chidester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chidester 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 Chidester

The surname Chidester is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name, possibly a town or village where the earliest bearers of the name resided.

One theory suggests that the name Chidester is derived from the Old English words "cide" meaning "chiding" or "reproving," and "ster," a common suffix used to denote a place or locality. This could indicate that the name originated from a place known for its inhabitants' tendency to chide or reprimand others.

Another possibility is that the name is a variation of the place name "Chiddingstone," a village located in Kent, England. This village's name is derived from the Old English words "cidd" meaning "kid" or "young goat," and "ing" meaning "belonging to." The suffix "stone" was later added, suggesting a connection to a prominent rock or stone in the area.

While there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient manuscripts like the Domesday Book, some of the earliest known references to the name can be found in various parish records and tax rolls from the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Chidester was Robert Chidester, who was born in England around 1590. Another notable bearer of the name was William Chidester, born in 1620 in Gloucestershire, England, who later emigrated to the American colonies in the mid-17th century.

In the United States, the name Chidester gained prominence in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. John Chidester (1756-1832), a Revolutionary War soldier from New Jersey, and his son, Alpheus Chidester (1790-1868), a prominent farmer and landowner in Ohio, were both influential figures in their respective communities.

Another notable individual was James Chidester (1812-1895), a lawyer and politician from Ohio, who served as a member of the Ohio State Senate in the 1860s.

Throughout history, the Chidester surname has been associated with various notable individuals in fields such as law, politics, and military service, among others. While the exact origin and meaning of the name may remain uncertain, its enduring presence across centuries and continents is a testament to its rich and diverse heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chidester

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

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

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

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