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

Chittenden, 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 Chittenden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chittenden in America

Chittenden is the 14979th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chittenden surname appeared 1,973 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 Chittenden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chittenden 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 Chittenden

The surname Chittenden has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cyte" and "dun," which together mean "cottage on the hill." This suggests that the name originated from a place name, referring to a location where the earliest bearers of the surname resided.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "de Chittenden." This form indicates that the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to someone from the area known as Chittenden.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, including "Chyttyndene" and "Chytyndene," reflecting the evolution of spelling over time. The Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1309 and 1332 contain references to individuals with these variations of the name.

During the Middle Ages, the Chittenden family had a notable presence in Essex and Suffolk counties. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John de Chittenden, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1376.

The name Chittenden is also associated with several place names in England, such as Chittenden in Kent and Chittenden Farm in Essex. These locations likely derived their names from the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and its geographical origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Chittenden. One prominent example is Thomas Chittenden (1730-1797), who served as the first Governor of Vermont and played a crucial role in the formation of the state. Another notable figure was Hiram Chittenden (1858-1917), an American military officer and engineer who oversaw the construction of several significant projects, including the Ballard Locks in Seattle.

Other individuals with the Chittenden surname include:

1. William Chittenden (1794-1853), an American lawyer and politician from New York.
2. Simeon Baldwin Chittenden (1814-1890), an American lawyer and politician from New York.
3. Newton H. Chittenden (1839-1920), an American lawyer and judge from Vermont.
4. Russell H. Chittenden (1856-1943), an American biochemist known for his research on protein metabolism.
5. Hiram Martin Chittenden (1858-1917), an American military officer and engineer mentioned earlier.

The surname Chittenden has a rich history, tracing its roots back to medieval England and reflecting the cultural and linguistic evolution of the English language over centuries. Its association with place names and notable individuals across different fields further highlights the significance of this surname in various contexts throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chittenden

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

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

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

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