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

Chown, 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 Chown surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chown in America

Chown is the 58182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chown surname appeared 349 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 Chown.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chown 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 Chown

The surname Chown originated in England during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words "ceowan" and "ceowen," which mean "to chew" or "to gnaw." It is believed that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone with a peculiar chewing or biting habit, or possibly to someone who worked as a miller or baker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1194, where a person named William Chewin is mentioned. The surname was also present in various other historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mention a John Chewun.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name took on various spellings, including Chewen, Chewon, Chewine, and Chewyn, reflecting the regional dialects and the scribes' interpretations of the name. The spelling "Chown" seems to have emerged in the 16th century and gradually became the most common form.

One notable figure with the surname Chown was John Chown (c. 1545-1614), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He played a significant role in the wool trade between England and the Netherlands during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, William Chown (1632-1701) was a respected English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Danger of Heresies and Schisms" published in 1689.

Moving to the 18th century, Thomas Chown (1718-1792) was a notable English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and its surrounding areas.

In the 19th century, Edward Chown (1824-1901) was a prominent Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the Canadian Pacific Railway and played a crucial role in the development of western Canada.

Another notable figure was Mary Chown (1867-1958), a British suffragette and activist who fought for women's rights and advocated for social reforms in the early 20th century.

While the surname Chown is not among the most common surnames, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, clergymen, architects, businessmen, and activists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chown

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

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

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

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