Cheshier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Cheshier is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the maritime county of Cheshire. "The name is a contraction of Chestershire. At the time of the Roman invasion, the county formed part of the territory occupied by the Cornavii; in the first division of Britain by the Romans it was included in Britannia Superior, and in their subsequent subdivision became part of Flavia Cæsariensis. Under the Saxons it was a portion of the powerful kingdom of Mercia; and upon the division of England into three great districts by Alfred, it was comprehended in that called Mercenlege, or the "Mercian jurisdiction." Cheshire is within the diocese of Chester, and province of York." 1

Early Origins of the Cheshier family

The surname Cheshier was first found in the Close Rolls where Thomas de Chastirshir was listed 6 Edward II (during the sixth year reign of King Edward II.) The Yorkshire Poll Taqx Rolls of 1379 list Henricus de Chesterschyr. 2

Early History of the Cheshier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cheshier research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1622, 1662, 1695, 1696, 1705, 1711, 1714, 1727, 1738 and 1762 are included under the topic Early Cheshier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cheshier Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Cheshier are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Cheshier include: Chessire, Cheeshire, Cheshyre, Cheshire, Chesser, Chesshyre, Chesher, Chesshere, Chessor, Chessyre, Chessheire and many more.

Early Notables of the Cheshier family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Cheshire, Sheriff of Dublin, who died in the year 1622. John Cheshire (1695-1762), was an English physician, "stated to have been educated at Oxford, although he does not seem to have graduated there." 3 Sir John Chesshyre (1662-1738), was an English lawyer, son of Thomas Chesshyre of...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cheshier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cheshier family to Ireland

Some of the Cheshier 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.

Migration of the Cheshier family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Cheshier or a variant listed above: Fred Cheeshire who arrived in Philadelphia in 1867; John Cheshire arrived in Maryland in 1731; Thomas Cheshire settled in New England in 1700; Robert Chessheire settled in Virginia in 1635.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print