Chitwood
An English-language surname most likely from a place-name, meaning someone from or near a wood associated with a person named Chit or a similar nickname.
The #5,386 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,786 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Chitwood is most likely an English locational surname built from a personal nickname or old name element plus "wood," referring to a wooded place. The first part is probably connected to an old nickname such as Chit, a word historically used for a child or small, lively person, though the exact original source is not certain. In that sense, the name would have meant someone living by or coming from "Chit's wood" or a similarly named wooded area.
History
The surname is found mainly in English-speaking countries, especially the United States, where it became established through later migration and local family lines. Like many locational surnames, it likely arose independently in more than one place or branch from a topographic or settlement name. Modern bearers are especially concentrated in the U.S., where the name is relatively uncommon but well established.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Names ending in -wood often began as references to a wooded landmark, so Chitwood probably started as a place-based name rather than a description of a person.