Chaff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The earliest origins of the family name Chaff date back to the Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name given to a bald headed man. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the French expression le chauve, which means "the bald one."

Early Origins of the Chaff family

The surname Chaff was first found in Dorset 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 Chaff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chaff research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chaff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chaff 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 Chaff include Chafy, Chafe, Chafee, Chafey, Chaff, Chaffe, Chaffee and many more.

Early Notables of the Chaff family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

John and Reginald Chaffey who held the estates in Lancashire

Migration of the Chaff family to Ireland

Some of the Chaff 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.

Chaff 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:

Chaff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Patrick Chaff, who settled in New England in 1767