Chesterfeild History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Chesterfeild family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Chesterfield, Derbyshire a market town which received its charter in the year 1204 from King John. "This place, from its Saxon name Ceaster, appears to have been a Roman station; its Roman name is said to have been Lutudarum; and there is reason to suppose that in Roman times it was an emporium of the mining districts of Derbyshire. At the period of the Norman survey it was called Cestrefeld, and was only a bailiwick to Newbold, the latter being now a small hamlet in the parish; but within a century from the Conquest, it seems to have risen into such importance as to have obtained from King John, who conferred it upon William de Briwere, a charter of incorporation, with the privilege of two markets and a fair. " 1

Early Origins of the Chesterfeild family

The surname Chesterfeild was first found in Derbyshire, at Chesterfield, a parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Scarsdale.

"The ancient and distinguished Chesterfield family of the Heathcotes, who have received more than one baronetcy, have held property in that locality since the reign of Edward IV." 2

As a surname, the name is rare as the only entry in various rolls was that of Robertus de Chesterfield and Agnes de Chasturfeld who both appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 3

Early History of the Chesterfeild family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chesterfeild research. Another 207 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1172, 1340, 1379, 1428, 1431, 1449, 1451, 1452 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Chesterfeild History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chesterfeild 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 Chesterfeild include Chesterfield, Chasturfeld, Cestrefeld and others.

Early Notables of the Chesterfeild family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Chesterfield (d. 1451 or 1452), Canon of Lichfield and author of a chronicle of the bishops of Coventry and Lichfield. On 31 Oct. 1428...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chesterfeild Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chesterfeild 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 Chesterfeild or a variant listed above: Henry Chesterfield who arrived in New York in 1854.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)