Chestfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Chestfield surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived 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 Chestfield family

The surname Chestfield 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 Chestfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chestfield 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 Chestfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chestfield 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 Chestfield include Chesterfield, Chasturfeld, Cestrefeld and others.

Early Notables of the Chestfield 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 Chestfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chestfield family

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: 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)