Show ContentsChudleigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Chudleigh comes from the family having resided in the township of Chidlow, which was in the parish of Malpas in Cheshire. The surname Chudleigh 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 Chudleigh family

The surname Chudleigh 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 Chudleigh family

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

Chudleigh Spelling Variations

Chudleigh has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Chudleigh, Chudley, Chidley, Chiderleigh, Chidelly, Chudley and many more.

Early Notables of the Chudleigh 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 - 1643), military officer during the first period of the English Civil War who defected to the Royalist party after his capture at the Battle of Stratton
  • Lady Mary Chudleigh (1656-1710), an English poet
  • Sir George Chudleigh, 2nd Baronet (1612-1691)

Ireland Migration of the Chudleigh family to Ireland

Some of the Chudleigh 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 Chudleigh migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Chudleighs to arrive on North American shores:

Chudleigh Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • W H Chudleigh, who landed in Mississippi in 1873 [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Chudleigh (post 1700) +

  • James P. Chudleigh, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Texas State Senate 7th District, 1992; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 29th District, 1998 [6]
  • Elizabeth Chudleigh (1720-1788), Duchess of Kingston, English courtesan, known by her contemporaries for her adventurous life style
  • Sir John Chudleigh (d. 1745), 6th Baronet of Ashton, Devon, English peer
  • Sir Thomas Chudleigh (d. 1741), 5th Baronet of Ashton, Devon, English peer
  • Sir George Chudleigh (d. 1738), 4th Baronet of Ashton, Devon, English peer
  • Sir George Chudleigh (d. 1718), 3rd Baronet of Ashton, Devon, English peer
  • Eric and Marion Chudleigh, Canadian founders of Chudleigh’s Farms, a privately owned company, in Milton, Ontario, in 1955 which makes frozen baked apple desserts
  • Josh Chudleigh (b. 1994), Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the North Queensland Cowboys (2016-)
  • Ted Chudleigh (b. 1943), Canadian politician in Ontario, MPP for Halton (1999-2014)
  • Sir Bryce Chudleigh Burt CIE, MBE (1881-1943), English administrator in India during the British Raj period and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts


  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)
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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