Childress History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Childress comes from when the family resided in or near an orphanage; the location of the specific orphanage that gave rise to the surname Childress is not known in modern times. The surname Childress may have also been a nickname for an orphan, or an occupational name applied to someone who ran an orphanage. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old English word cildra-hus, which means children's house or orphanage. 1

Early Origins of the Childress family

The surname Childress was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Childress family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Childress research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1565, 1607, 1623, 1645, 1670, 1838, 1870, 1876, 1905, 1922, 1973 and 1974 are included under the topic Early Childress History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Childress Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Childress has been recorded under many different variations, including Childers, Childress, Childres and others.

Early Notables of the Childress family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Childress Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Childress Ranking

In the United States, the name Childress is the 1,065^th most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Childress family to Ireland

Some of the Childress family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Childress migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Childress or a variant listed above:

Childress Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

T. J. and W. J. Childress who arrived in San Francisco, California, in 1850
O. H. Childress, aged 40, who settled in America, in 1893
William Childress, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1897
Mrs. Florence Childress, (b. 1870), aged 29, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th April 1899 en route to New York, USA 3
Miss Maria Childress, (b. 1896), aged 3, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th April 1899 en route to New York, USA 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Childress Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mary Childress, aged 60, who landed in America, in 1909
Ollie H. Childress, aged 39, who landed in America, in 1911
Louis A. Childress, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1919
Vance Childress, aged 9, who settled in America in 1922
Clyde E. Childress, aged 37, who arrived in America in 1922
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Childress (post 1700) +

Alvin Childress (1907-1986), American actor, best known for his role as the cabdriver Amos Jones in the 1950s television comedy series Amos 'n Andy
Richard Childress (b. 1945), American former NASCAR driver, team owner and founder of Richard Childress Racing (RCR)
Brandon "Bam" Childress (b. 1982), American CFL and NFL football wide receiver
William Childress (b. 1933), American writer, author, poet, and photojournalist
Ross Childress, American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the former lead guitarist and co-songwriter of rock band Collective Soul (1993 to 2001)
George Campbell Childress (1804-1841), American lawyer, statesman, best known as the main author of the Texas Declaration of Independence
Mark Childress (b. 1957), American novelist and southern writer
Alice Childress (1912-1994), American playwright, actor, and author from Charleston, South Carolina
Raymond Clay Childress Jr. (b. 1962), former American NFL football defensive lineman, inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Fred "Freddie" Childress (b. 1966), American NFL and CFL former all-star offensive lineman, nicknamed "the Big Chill" for his 6 feet 4 inch and 345 pound size
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Childress family +

Fraterville mine

Mr. P. C. Childress (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 4
Mr. William C. Childress (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 4
Mr. John Childress (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 4
Mr. James Childress (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 4

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. (Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm).