Show ContentsChirk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Chirk is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived near a church. The surname Chirk is derived from the old English word cyrice, which is itself derived from the Late Greek word kyrikon, which means house of the Lord. [1] [2]

Chirk therefore belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. The Aglish surname is only found in Ireland where it is one of the few times an English name has been translated into Irish (eaglais, pronounced aglish, Gaelic for a church)

Early Origins of the Chirk family

The surname Chirk was first found in principally in Somerset but also many counties of England. One of the first records of the name was Thomas Attechurche who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcester in 1296. The "atte" prefix was quite popular for this surname at that time. Henry atte Churche was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1368. Henry of the Chirche was listed in 1368. In Norfolk, records there show John Atte-cherch was rector of Metton in 1338. [3]

In Somerset, John atte Churche was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) [4] The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Robert atte Chyrche, Norfolk and later, John Atte-cherch was rector of Metton, Norfolk 1338. [5]

"In the 16th century the family of Church or Churche held the manor of Woodham - Mortimer; and in the 17th century, Mr. William Church owned part of the Arnolds estate in Lamborn parish, [Berkshire]." [6]

Early History of the Chirk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chirk research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1338, 1388, 1572, 1580, 1639, 1659, 1675, 1676, 1718, 1723, 1741, 1890 and 1903 are included under the topic Early Chirk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chirk Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Chirk family name include Church, Churche, Churchey, Aglish (Ireland) and others.

Early Notables of the Chirk family

Distinguished members of the family include Colonel Benjamin Church (c.1639-1718), captain of the first Ranger force in America (1676) and is considered the father of American ranging.John Church (1675?-1741), was an English musician, "said to have been born at Windsor in 1675, and educated as a chorister at New College, Oxford. " [7] " He obtained also the appointments of lay vicar and master of the choristers of Westminster Abbey. Church composed some anthems and also many songs, which appeared in...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chirk Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Chirk family to Ireland

Some of the Chirk family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 277 words (20 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chirk family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Chirk surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Richard Church who settled in Plymouth in the year 1630; who arrived in the fleet with Winthrop in 1630. He was admitted as a freeman of the Colony in 1633. He built the first Church of Dover in 1662. He was taken by Indians, escaped and was finally killed twenty years later by Indians in his own home. Richard Church settled in Virginia in 1630.



The Chirk Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto:
Motto Translation: Virtue


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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