Chaiter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Chaiter is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Chaiter family lived in Somerset. They were originally from Carteret Manche, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Chaiter family

The surname Chaiter was first found in Somerset 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 Chaiter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chaiter research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1178 and 1494 are included under the topic Early Chaiter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chaiter Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Chaytor, Chater, Chaters, Chator, Chators and others.

Early Notables of the Chaiter family

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

Migration of the Chaiter family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, travelling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Chaiter or a variant listed above: J. Chayter who settled in Baltimore in 1823. James Chaytor settled in Baltimore in 1823; Mary and William Chaytor arrived in New York City in 1823; John Chaytor settled in Newbury in 1635..

The Chaiter 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: Fortune le veut
Motto Translation: Fortune so wills it.