Cheatham
A surname most likely taken from an English place-name, originally meaning someone from Cheetham or a similar settlement.
The #2,802 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 24,023 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Cheatham is generally understood as an English locational surname, referring to someone who came from a place called Cheetham or from a similarly named settlement. The place-name is usually explained from Old English elements meaning either "woodland homestead" or "valley homestead," depending on the local form being identified. Over time, the surname became fixed in hereditary use, while spellings shifted to the modern form Cheatham.
History
The surname is found in England and later in the English-speaking world, especially in the United States. It is often associated with families whose name reflects origin from a northern English place-name, though spelling variation has long been common. In American records, Cheatham is established enough to have many bearers but remains relatively uncommon compared with major English surnames.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Cheetham is also the name of a well-known district in Manchester, which helps explain the surname’s locational character.