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Cheetham History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Cheetham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the Cheetham name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Cheetham was originally derived from a family having lived in Cheetham, in the county of Lancashire. It is from the place-name Cheetham that the family name is derived.

Early Origins of the Cheetham family

The surname Cheetham was first found in Lancashire at Cheetham, a township, in the parish and union of Manchester, hundred of Salford. 1 Now part of Greater Manchester, Cheetham dates back to the late 12th century and literally meant "homestead or village by the wood called Chet," from the Celtic word "ced" meaning "forest" and the Old English word "ham." 2 The ancient archeological site Cheetham Close, a megalithic site and scheduled ancient monument is nearby and is generally thought to have been a druidical ritual place with a Roman road passed 'within two hundred yards' of the megalith. As far as the surname is concerned, one of the first records was Geoffrey de Chetham who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. Over one hundred years later, Thomas de Cheteham was listed in Lancashire in 1394. 3 Another branch of the family was found at Allerton in Lancashire. "At the time of the Domesday Survey, three thanes held 'Alretune;' which was in the possession of Geoffrey de Chetham in the reign of Henry III." 1

Early History of the Cheetham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cheetham research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1640, 1648, 1653 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Cheetham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cheetham Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Cheetham include Chetham, Cheetham, Cheetam, Cheetum and others.

Early Notables of the Cheetham family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Edward Chetham; and Colonel John Chetham of Southhill House in Somerset, from a branch of the Derbyshire family.Humphrey Chetham, (1580-1653), was founder of the Chetham Hospital and Library, fifth son of Henry Chetham of Crumpsall Hall, near Mandiester, a prosperous merchant of that town. He was baptised at the collegiate church of Manchester on 10 July 1580. He received his education at the Manchester grammar school under Dr. Thomas Cogan. "For several years before his death he had 'taken up and maintained' twenty-two poor boys of Manchester, Salford, and Droylsden; and...
Another 99 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cheetham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cheetham family to Ireland

Some of the Cheetham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cheetham migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Cheetham Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Cheetham, aged 24, who arrived in New York in 1812 4
Alfred Cheetham, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 4
George Cheetham, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 4
Charles Cheetham, aged 28, who arrived in New York in 1854 4
John Cheetham, aged 6, who landed in New York in 1854 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cheetham Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ernest Cheetham, aged 28, who landed in America from Woodley, Scotland, in 1908
Emma Cheetham, aged 37, who immigrated to America from Blackburn, England, in 1909
Clara E. Cheetham, aged 55, who landed in America from Gemley, England, in 1909
Frederick Cheetham, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States from MIddleton, England, in 1910
Henry Cheetham, aged 22, who landed in America from Sheffield, England, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cheetham migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cheetham Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Alexander Cheetham, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Cheetham migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cheetham Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Ann Cheetham, (Elkin), English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5

Cheetham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Cheetham, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Samuel Cheetham, English convict from Chester, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. Charles Cheetham, English convict who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Mr. George Cheetham, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Emerald Isle" on 25th June 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. John Cheetham, English convict who was convicted in Salford, Greater Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cheetham migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cheetham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Jane Cheetham, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Martaban" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1856 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Cheetham (post 1700) +

The Rt Rev Henry Cheetham (1827-1899), English Anglican Bishop
Erika Cheetham (1939-1998), English medieval scholar
Thomas Miles "Tommy" Cheetham (1910-1993), English professional footballer
Roy Alexander Cheetham (b. 1939), English former footballer
John Frederick Cheetham (1835-1916), English cotton mill-owner in Cheshire and a Liberal Party politician
Arthur Cheetham (1864-1937), English-born Welsh film-maker
Craig Cheetham, English actor
Steven Philip Cheetham (b. 1987), English cricketer
Richard Ian Cheetham (b. 1955), the current English Anglican Area Bishop of Kingston-upon-Thames
John Cheetham (1802-1886), prosperous English cotton manufacturer
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Cheetham family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. John McIntosh Cheetham (d. 1914), British Assistant Saloon Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 12

The Cheetham Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Quod tuum tenne
Motto Translation: Hold what is yours

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emily
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html