Explore the Family Name Cheever
The meaning of Cheever
English (of Norman origin): from Anglo-Norman French chivere, chevre ‘goat’ (from Latin capra ‘nanny goat’), applied as a nickname for an unpredictable or temperamental person, or a metonymic occupational name for a goatherd. This surname is now extinct in Britain. History: Born in London c.1614, the son of spinner William Cheaver, Ezekiel Cheever came to Boston in June 1637. After a brief sojourn in New Haven, CT, he was master of the Boston Latin School from 1670 until his death in 1708. He had twelve children; his youngest son, also called Ezekiel, was the clerk to the court in the infamous Salem witchcraft trials of 1692.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cheever in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Cheever' underwent a slight decrease from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 12,929th in terms of prevalence, but by 2010 it had fallen to 13,657th, marking a drop of 5.63%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased slightly from 2,179 people in 2000 to 2,217 in 2010, showing a growth of 1.74%. The proportion per 100,000 also decreased by 7.41% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,929 | #13,657 | -5.63% |
| Count | 2,179 | 2,217 | 1.74% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.81 | 0.75 | -7.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cheever
The ethnic identity of individuals bearing the surname 'Cheever' also showed some notable shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. A significant increase was observed among those identifying as Hispanic, which nearly doubled from 1.47% to 2.84%. Those identifying as Black and those identifying as two or more races also saw increases, with the former rising by 12.80% and the latter by a substantial 40.34%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and White saw slight decreases of 7.23% and 2.86%, respectively. The proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 23.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.78% | 88.18% | -2.86% |
| Black | 5% | 5.64% | 12.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.47% | 2.84% | 93.2% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.67% | 40.34% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.73% | 0.9% | 23.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.83% | 0.77% | -7.23% |