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Origins of the Chapman surname

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What does the name Chapman mean?

The origin of the Chapman surname is English (spread widely throughout the country), dating back to at least the late 1200s and coming from the Old English 'ceapman' (merchant). Chapman is an occupational surname that relates to a merchant or buyer and seller of goods, given to those who performed that business, and their descendants.

Alternative variations of the name Chapman

Chapman, Chepman, Chipman, Chopman, Cheapman

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Where do most Chapmans live?

In 1921, most Chapmans lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Chapmans

How common is your surname?

66th most common surname in the UK

We have 442,000 records for the Chapman surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Chapmans most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Browns

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Chapmans.

What are the most common Chapman first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Chapman family members

Common jobs for Chapmans

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Chapmans in 1921
Dressmaker

1,942

Domestic Servant

1,166

Laundress

1,165

General Servant Domestic

1,004

Living On Own Means

855

Common Male occupations for Chapmans in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

2,698

General Labourer

1,602

Farmer

1,492

Farm Labourer

1,442

Carpenter

1,201

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We found over 360,000 family trees with the Chapman surname

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