Claten is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Claten family lived in Cheshire where they were Lords of the Manor of Clutton.
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Early Origins of the Claten family
The surname Claten was first found in Cheshire at Clotton, or Clotton Hoofield, a township, in the parish of Tarvin, union of Great Boughton that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Clotone. Hence, the surname is conjecturally descended from William FitzNigel, a Norman Baron who held Clutton in 1086. The main stem of the family later branched to Nantwich, and thence to Chorlton, near Malpas. Literally the place name means "farmstead at a dell or deep valley," from the Old English words "cloh" + "tun." 1 Today it includes the settlements of Clotton, Clotton Common and Hoofield.
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Early History of the Claten family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Claten research. Another 43 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1399, 1413, 1533, 1575 and 1686 are included under the topic Early Claten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Claten Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Clutton, Clotton, Clutten, Cluttone and others.
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Early Notables of the Claten family
More information is included under the topic Early Claten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Claten family
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Claten or a variant listed above: John Clutton who arrived in Jamaica in 1685.
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