Chesney

Chesney

An oak grove
Language(s)	Norman French Anglo-Norman French
Origin
Meaning	"oak grove"
Region of origin	Normandy, United Kingdom

Chesney is an English and French surname or given name of Norman French origin. It is derived from Old French chesnai ("oak grove"). The name first reached England following its conquest by the Normans in 1066. Notable persons with the name include:

As a surname:

• Charles Cornwallis Chesney (1826–1876), British soldier and military writer
• Chester A. Chesney (1916–1986), American politician
• Dennis K. Chesney (active 1999–2000), American astronomer
• Francis Rawdon Chesney (1789–1872), British general and explorer
• Sir George Tomkyns Chesney (1830–1895), British general, politician, and author
• James Chesney (1934–1980), Irish priest and co-worker of IRA in Claudy bombing
• Kenny Chesney (born 1968), American country music singer
• Marion Chesney (1936–2019), British novelist
• Maxine M. Chesney (born 1942), American judge
• Robert de Chesney (died 1166), Bishop of Lincoln
• Robert M. Chesney (born 1971), American law professor
• Ronald Chesney (born 1922), British TV comedy screenwriter in Chesney and Wolfe
• Stanley Chesney (1918–1978), American soccer goalkeeper
• William de Chesney (died after 1161), brother of Robert de Chesney and a nobleman
• William de Chesney (sheriff) (died 1174), medieval sheriff of multiple counties
• Sir Francis Chesney and his son Jack, characters in 1892 British farce Charley's Aunt

As a given name:

• Chesney Allen (1894–1982), British entertainer
• Chesney Hawkes (born 1971), British pop singer
• Chesney Battersby-Brown (active since 2003), character on Coronation Street
• Chesney Snow (born 1979), American stage actor, musician and beat-boxer
• Chet Baker (1929–1988), American musician, born Chesney Henry Baker, Jr.

As a nickname:

• Wojciech Szczęsny (born 1990), Polish football goalkeeper, given because of his surname

See also

• Cheney (disambiguation)
• Chaney