Chafer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Chafer

What does the name Chafer mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Chafer comes from when its first bearer worked as a traveling merchant. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word ceapfaru, which appears in the Old English as chaffere and chaffar, a person engaged in traffic or trade of merchandise.

Early Origins of the Chafer family

The surname Chafer was first found in Lancashire 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 Chafer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chafer research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1743 is included under the topic Early Chafer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chafer Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Chafer include Chaffers, Chaffer and others.

Early Notables of the Chafer family

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

Migration of the Chafer family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Chafer or a variant listed above: James Chaffers, aged 33; who settled in Jamaica in 1775; John Chaffer arrived in San Francisco Cal. in 1850.