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Chess Family History

Chess Name Meaning

English (Gloucestershire): of uncertain origin. Formally it might derive from Middle English ches chesse (Old French esches) ‘chess’ (referring to the game a set of chess pieces or a chess board) or from Middle English chesse ‘(poppy) seed pod’. This surname is now rare in Britain.

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


Similar surnames: Cressy, Bess, Chesson, Check, Che, Cross, Crees, Chesser, Chee

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Chess family from?

You can see how Chess families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chess family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chess families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 10 Chess families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 67% of all the recorded Chess's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Chess families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chess surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Chess ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Farm Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chess. 30% of Chess men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Chess women worked as a Farm Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chess were Farm Laborer and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Chess | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    30%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Farm Laborer
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Maid
    10%
  • Clerk
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Chess family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Chess. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chess census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Chess

Passenger Lists

There are 827 immigration records available for the last name Chess. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Chess immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Chess. For the veterans among your Chess ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chess military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chess family history

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What is the average Chess lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Chess life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Chess in 1946 was 53, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chess

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