Explore the Family Name Chest
The meaning of Chest
English (Kent and Surrey): either a nickname for a contentious person (from Old English ceast ‘strife’) or an occupational name for a maker of chests and boxes (from Middle English chest(e), chist(e) ‘chest, box, trunk’; Old English cest, cyst).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chest in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Chest' was relatively stable between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname slightly decreased from 83,618 in 2000 to 84,463 in 2010, a drop of 1.01%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased by 6.22%, rising from 209 in 2000 to 222 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.08.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #83,618 | #84,463 | -1.01% |
| Count | 209 | 222 | 6.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chest
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Chest.' In both 2000 and 2010, there were no recorded instances of the surname among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native. The two major ethnic identities associated with this surname were White, with a slight decrease from 49.76% to 49.1%, and Black, which saw an increase from 45.45% to 47.75%. Interestingly, the census started recording a Hispanic presence of 2.25% in 2010, which was not present in 2000. Those identifying as belonging to two or more races dropped to 0% in 2010, from 3.35% in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 49.76% | 49.1% | -1.33% |
| Black | 45.45% | 47.75% | 5.06% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.25% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 3.35% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |