Virginia

Chesterfield

364,548
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Chesterfield

Chesterfield, Virginia, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 14,214. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 364,548.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 40 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Appomattoc 1611, Powhatan Raid on Appomattoc River Settlements 1622, Burning of Henricus 1622 (Powhatan), and 31 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020364,548
2010316,236
2000259,903
1990225,338
1980157,881
197091,952
196080,784
195046,477
194031,183
193026,049
192020,496
191021,299
190028,519
189026,211
188025,085
187018,470
186019,016
185017,489
184017,148
183018,637
182018,003
18109,979
180014,488
179014,214
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Chesterfield

Military engagements that took place in Chesterfield, Virginia.

Battle of Appomattoc 1611
1611
Powhatan Raid on Appomattoc River Settlements 1622
1622
Burning of Henricus 1622 (Powhatan)
1622
Frontier Raids Virginia 1622-1624
1622
Action at Osborne's Landing (VA)
1781
Savage's Station
1862
Battle of Drewry's Bluff
1862
Glendale / Frayser's Farm
1862
Battle of Glendale
1862
Battle of Drewry's Bluff (1862)
1862
White Oak Swamp Artillery Duel
1862
Allen's Farm / Peach Orchard
1862
Battle of Malvern Hill — Confederate Assaults
1862
Drewry's Bluff (Fort Darling) — Naval Assault (May 15, 1862)
1862
Battle of Malvern Hill (Seven Days)
1862
CSS Virginia II — Construction and James River Operations
1863
Battle of Chesterfield Court House
1864
Second Battle of Malvern Hill (August 5, 1864)
1864
Deep Bottom — Malvern Hill Probe (Aug 13-16)
1864
Engagement at Ware Bottom Church
1864
Demonstration on Bermuda Hundred (Jul 27-28)
1864
Bermuda Hundred — Confederate Breakout Attempt
1864
Battle of Drewry's Bluff 1864 — Butler stopped on the James
1864
Engagement at Swift Creek
1864
Dutch Gap Canal — naval engineering operation
1864
Battle of Chester Station
1864
Action at Port Walthall Junction
1864
Bermuda Hundred – Port Walthall Junction
1864
Bermuda Hundred – Kautz's Railroad Raid
1864
Chester Station Raid
1864
Action at City Point
1864
Swift Run — Bermuda Hundred Operations (Summer 1864)
1864
Battle of Arrowfield Church
1864
Battle of Swift Creek
1864
Bermuda Hundred – Drewry's Bluff
1864
Engagement at Dutch Gap Canal — James River
1864
Engagement at Chester Station (Bermuda Hundred)
1864
Chester Station skirmish
1864
Bermuda Hundred Neck – Bottling Up Butler
1864
North Anna – Fort Clifton battery
1864

Historic places in Chesterfield

National Register of Historic Places listings in Chesterfield, Virginia.

Bellwood (Boundary Increase)
Richmond
Swift Creek Mill
Colonial Heights
Dale's Pale Archeological District
Chester
Bellwood
Richmond
Bellona Arsenal
Midlothian
Hallsboro Store
Midlothian
Eppington
Winterpock
Magnolia Grange
Chesterfield
Bethel Baptist Church
Midlothian
Bridge at Falling Creek
Richmond (Independent City)
Hallsborough Tavern
Midlothian
Falling Creek UDC Jefferson Davis Highway Marker
Richmond
Vawter Hall and Old President's House (Additional Documentation)
Ettrick
Castlewood
Chesterfield
Dinwiddie County Pullman Car
Midlothian
Point of Rocks
Chester
Pleasant View
Midlothian
Town of Bermuda Hundred Historic District
Chester
Beach Station
Chesterfield
Proctor Creek, Jefferson David Highway Marker
Richmond
Fuqua Farm
Chesterfield
Chesterfield County Courthouse and Courthouse Square
Chesterfield
Azurest South
Petersburg
Falling Creek Ironworks Archeological Site
Richmond
Browse all Virginiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Virginia

Explore census history and historic records for more Virginia counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Chesterfield County, Virginia

This page charts the census history of Chesterfield County, Virginia. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Chesterfield

When does Chesterfield first appear in the US census?
Chesterfield, Virginia first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 14,214.
What is the population of Chesterfield?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Chesterfield had a recorded population of 364,548.
Were any battles fought in Chesterfield?
40 documented military engagements took place in Chesterfield, including Battle of Appomattoc 1611, Powhatan Raid on Appomattoc River Settlements 1622, Burning of Henricus 1622 (Powhatan).
How many historic places are in Chesterfield?
31 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Chesterfield, Virginia.
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