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Chittenden History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Chittenden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Chittenden belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in the village of Crotynden (Crittenden or Cruttenden) in West Kent. This lost village is thought to have derived its name from the Old English personal name Gu(dh)here + Old English "-ing" and "denn," literally meaning "person living near a woodland pasture." (Oxford)

Another source claims the name was derived from "the cot on the lower hill; from cru, a cot; tane, lower, and dun or din, a hill; or it may be the chalk hill, from krit, Saxon, chalk." 1

Early Origins of the Chittenden family

The surname Chittenden was first found in West Kent at Crittenden. While this is the generally accepted origin of the name one source claims the family originally "came from Criddon, formerly Critendone (Cridela's hill), in Shropshire." 2

Early History of the Chittenden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chittenden research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1481 is included under the topic Early Chittenden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chittenden Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Chittenden include Crittenden, Cruttenden, Critenden, Crutenden and many more.

Early Notables of the Chittenden family

More information is included under the topic Early Chittenden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chittenden Ranking

In the United States, the name Chittenden is the 13,326^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Chittenden migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Chittenden were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Chittenden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Chittenden, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1638 4
William Chittenden, who landed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1639 4

Chittenden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Chittenden, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 4

Chittenden migration to Australia +

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

Chittenden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Chittenden, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Charles Thomas Chittenden a boat builder, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Emma" in 1836 6

Chittenden 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:

Chittenden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edward Chittenden, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Edward Chittenden, aged 33, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 7
Lydia Chittenden, aged 33, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Chittenden (post 1700) +

Thomas Cotton Chittenden (1788-1866), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1839-1843)
Lucius Eugene Chittenden (1824-1900), American author, banker, lawyer, politician, Register of the Treasury during the Lincoln administration
Simeon Baldwin Chittenden (1814-1889), American politician, United States Representative from New York (1874-1881)
George B. Chittenden, American Geological Survey member who had worked in surveys in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, eponym of Mount Chittenden, Yellowstone National Park
Hiram Martin Chittenden (1858-1917), American historian of the American West, specialist in the fur trade, eponym of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Seattle, Washington
Martin Chittenden (1763-1840), American politician, United States Representative for Vermont, 7th Governor of Vermont (1813-1815)
Thomas Chittenden (1730-1797), early American politician, 1st Governor of the state of Vermont (1791-1797)
Russell Henry Chittenden (1856-1943), American physiologist and chemist who conducted pioneering research in the biochemistry of digestion and nutrition
Clyde C. Chittenden (b. 1860), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State Senate 27th District, 1895-96; Circuit Judge in Michigan 28th Circuit, 1900-09 8
Clark S. Chittenden, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from St. Lawrence County 3rd District, 1860-61 8
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
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/
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 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emma. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Emma.gif
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html