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Chester Family History

Chester Surname Meaning

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’).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Chester family from?

You can see how Chester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chester families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 654 Chester families living in Yorkshire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Chester's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Chester families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chester surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Chester ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Chester. 7% of Chester men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Chester women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chester were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Chester | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    4%
  • Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Chester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 144,000 census records available for the last name Chester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chester

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Chester. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Chester immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Chester. For the veterans among your Chester ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chester family history

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What is the average Chester lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Chester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Chester in 1944 was 34, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chester

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chester ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Chester family tree

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