Charity History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestors of the name Charity date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Charity family lived in or near to the charity, which was either a dispensary of charity or a hospital that was connected to the church. The surname has Latin origins in the form of Caritatem, which means kindness, generosity and humanity. Early Origins of the Charity familyThe surname Charity was first found in Yorkshire where the Close Rolls, 3 Edward I (during the third year of King Edward I's reign) listed: William de la Charity and J. John Charite. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Ricardus Charyte; Willelmus Charite; and Thomas Charite. 1 Early History of the Charity familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Charity research. Another 222 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1148, 1185, 1195, 1203, 1379, 1422, 1436, 1500, 1502, 1612 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Charity History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Charity Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Charity are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Charity include: Charity, Caritet, Carite, Charite, Charyte, Charitie and many more. Early Notables of the Charity familyNotables of the family at this time include William Charite (1422-1502), the Prior of St. Mary's Abbey in Leicestershire. He was a monkish writer who compiled a register of St. Mary's Abbey, Leicester. "The register ('Rentale Novum Generale Mon. B. M. de Pratis Leycestrie') contains the rent-roll of the abbey... Charity RankingIn the United States, the name Charity is the 12,252nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Charity or a variant listed above: Charity Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
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