Show ContentsChidlow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Chidlow date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Chidlow family lived in the township of Chidlow, which was in the parish of Malpas in Cheshire. The surname Chidlow belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Chidlow family

The surname Chidlow was first found in Devon at Chudleigh, a market-town and parish, in the union of Newton-Abbott, hundred of Exminster, Teignbridge. "This place, anciently called Chidleighe, was the residence of the bishops of Exeter, who had a sumptuous palace, of which there are some small remains." 1 2

"Haldon House, is in [the parish of Exmouth, Devon]. Haldon House was originally built by Sir George Chudleigh, the last Baronet of that family, but the mansion and grounds owe their present aspect to the improvements effected since they were purchased by Sir Robert Palk. " 3

The parish dates back to at least c. 1150 when it was named Ceddelegam, and literally means "clearing of a man called Ciedda," or "clearing in a hollow," from the Old English personal name or Old English word "ceod(e)" + "leah." 4

"Half a mile from the town is Chudleigh Rock, a stupendous mass of limestone, in which is a cavern of considerable extent; and near it are very perfect remains of an elliptical encampment, supposed from its form to be of Danish origin, but, from its proximity to a Roman road, to have been previously occupied by that people." 1

"Ashton, [Devon] was for over four centuries the residence of the Chudleigh family, who lived at Place. The manor was given by the Conqueror to Hervey de Helion, and held at ' Domesday ' by his wife. It came to the Chudleighs about 1320. Sir George Chudleigh, the first Baronet, sided with the Parliament when the Civil War broke out, and took part in the battle of Stratton. Not long after he changed sides, and had his house garrisoned in the Royalist interest. It was taken by a party of Fairfax's army in December, 1645; and Colonel James Chudleigh, Sir George's eldest son, was killed at the storming of Dartmouth in the following month, when Place was a garrison for the Parliament. The Chudleigh baronetcy ended in 1745, when Sir James Chudleigh was killed at the siege of Ostend." 3

Early History of the Chidlow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chidlow research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1601, 1606, 1612, 1618, 1625, 1628, 1629, 1634, 1643, 1656, 1658, 1691 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Chidlow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chidlow 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 Chidlow 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 Chidlow include: Chudleigh, Chudley, Chidley, Chiderleigh, Chidelly, Chudley and many more.

Early Notables of the Chidlow family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir George Chudleigh, 1st Baronet (c.1578-1658), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1601 and 1625, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; Sir John Chudleigh (1606-1634), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1628 to 1629; Major-General James Chudleigh (c.1618 -...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chidlow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Chidlow family to Ireland

Some of the Chidlow family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Chidlow migration to the United States +

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 Chidlow or a variant listed above:

Chidlow Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Chidlow, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 5


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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