Chestyfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Chestyfield is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family 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 Chestyfield family

The surname Chestyfield 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 Chestyfield family

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

Chestyfield Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Chestyfield 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Chestyfield include: Chesterfield, Chasturfeld, Cestrefeld and others.

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

Migration of the Chestyfield family

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 Chestyfield 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)