Explore the Family Name Chester
The meaning of Chester
English: habitational name from Chester, the county seat of Cheshire, or from any of various smaller places called with this word (as for example Little Chester in Derbyshire, Chester le Street in County Durham, or Chesters in Northumberland), which is from Old English ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’ (from Latin castra ‘legionary camp’).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chester in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Chester saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Specifically, its rank fell by roughly 5.57% from 2,281 to 2,408. Despite this dip in ranking, the count of people with the Chester surname actually increased by 3.23%, growing from 14,595 to 15,066. The proportion of individuals named Chester per 100,000 people also decreased slightly by 5.55%, dropping from 5.41 to 5.11.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,281 | #2,408 | -5.57% |
| Count | 14,595 | 15,066 | 3.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.41 | 5.11 | -5.55% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chester
Turning to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The Hispanic population with the surname Chester saw the most significant increase at 51.82%, followed by the Asian/Pacific Islander group at 41.38%. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also experienced growth at 33.07%, while those identifying with two or more races increased by 25.70%. Conversely, the White population decreased by -3.52%, though it still represented the largest group in 2010 at 66.05%. The Black population saw a marginal increase of 2.19%, moving from 26.54% to 27.12% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 68.46% | 66.05% | -3.52% |
| Black | 26.54% | 27.12% | 2.19% |
| Two or More Races | 1.79% | 2.25% | 25.7% |
| Hispanic | 1.37% | 2.08% | 51.82% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.27% | 1.69% | 33.07% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.58% | 0.82% | 41.38% |
Chester 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 Chester is British & Irish, which comprises 44.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.4%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (7.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Nigerian, Italian, Scandinavian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.5% |
| French & German | 19.4% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 7.6% |
| Other | 28.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Chester
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 Chester have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 74.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 74.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 74.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 74.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 74.10% |
What Chester 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 Chester is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bower, Knight, Dick, Noel, Bowers, Eckert, Weber, Cramer, Baumann, Fox.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Chester surname are: H1, H, L2a1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European and Sub-Saharan African 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 Chester 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.
"Chester" Surname 43.6%
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.
"Chester" Surname 21.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Chester" Surname 19.5%
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.
"Chester" Surname 16.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Chester?
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 Chester are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition