Explore the Family Name Cheney
The meaning of Cheney
1. English: variant of Chaney with the same etymology as in 2 below. 2. French: topographic name for someone who lived by or in an oak wood, from Old French chesnai ‘oak grove’ (from chesne ‘oak’), or a habitational name from any of several places called (Le) Cheney, e.g. in Haute-Savoie, named with this word. Compare Chesney. 3. French Canadian: altered form of French Chesnay or Chenay, topographic names with the same meaning and etymology as in 2 above, or habitational names from (Le) Chesnay or (Le) Chenay, names of several places in the northwestern part of France, based on Old French chesnai ‘oak grove’. Compare Chenette and Chenier 2. 4. French: habitational name from Cheney in Yonne, which takes its name from a Gallo-Roman estate, Caniacum, from the Roman personal name Canius + the locative suffix -acum. History: Bertrand Chesnay/Chenay dit/sieur de La Garenne from Yffiniac in Côtes-d’Armor, Brittany (France), married Élisabeth Aubert in Château-Richer, QC, in 1671. His descendants also bear altered forms of the surname, such as Cheney, Chenier, and Chen(n)ette.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cheney in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Cheney fluctuated between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Cheney was ranked at 2,563 and rose slightly to 2,655 in 2010, marking a decrease of 3.59% in rank. However, the count of individuals bearing the surname rose from 12,970 in 2000 to 13,573 by 2010, an increase of 4.65%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 reduced by 4.37%, going from 4.81 in 2000 to 4.6 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,563 | #2,655 | -3.59% |
| Count | 12,970 | 13,573 | 4.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.81 | 4.6 | -4.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cheney
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Cheney. While the majority of individuals with this surname were identified as white (90.17% in 2010, down from 92.18% in 2000), there was notable growth in other ethnicities. The proportion of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 36.07%, while those acknowledging two or more races grew by 35.92%. Hispanic representation also rose by 33.33%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw a 31.3% increase. The percentage of Black individuals with the surname Cheney increased by 11.27% in the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.18% | 90.17% | -2.18% |
| Black | 2.84% | 3.16% | 11.27% |
| Hispanic | 1.8% | 2.4% | 33.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.42% | 1.93% | 35.92% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.15% | 1.51% | 31.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.61% | 0.83% | 36.07% |
Cheney ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Cheney is British & Irish, which comprises 52.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.5%) and Scandinavian (5.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.7% |
| French & German | 26.5% |
| Scandinavian | 5.0% |
| Other | 15.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Cheney
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Cheney have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.40% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
What Cheney haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Cheney is R-L1066.1, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L1066.1 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-BY451 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Brady, Osborne, Osborn, Billingsley, Grissom, Conklin, Redd, Pepper, Hazelton, Travers.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Cheney surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Cheney have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Cheney" Surname 32.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Cheney" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Cheney" Surname 18.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Cheney" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Cheney?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Cheney are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition