Show ContentsCurdon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Curdon has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the township of Cuerden, which is in the parish of Leyland in the county of Lancashire. The surname Curdon belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

The Kearton variant hails from the hamlet so named in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire. 1 This place dates back to the 13th century when it was known as Karretan and possibly meant "farmstead of a man called Kaerir," a Viking personal name. 2

Early Origins of the Curdon family

The surname Curdon was first found in Lancashire in the village and civil parish of Cuerden in the Borough of Chorley. The village has remained small over the years as a recent census showed only 77 people living there. The place name derives its name from the Welsh word cerdin.

Roger the Poitevin (Roger de Poitou), born in Normandy originally held the lands shortly after the Conquest. Cuerden Hall is a country mansion built around 1717 on a site of a previous manor home.

Early History of the Curdon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Curdon research. Another 44 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1568, 1572, 1581, 1601, 1604, 1608, 1620, 1636, 1642, 1655 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Curdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Curdon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Curdon have been found, including Cuerden, Cuerton and others.

Early Notables of the Curdon family

Distinguished members of the family include John Cuerden a prominent landholder in 17th century Lancashire. Sir William Courten or Curteene (1572-1636), was an English merchant, the son of William Courten, by his wife Margaret Casiere, and was born in London in 1572. A younger brother, born in 1581, was named Peter. Their father was son of a tailor of Menin and a protestant. After enduring much persecution at the hands of the Spaniards, he escaped to...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Curdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Curdon family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Curdon, or a variant listed above: Richard and Margaret Cureton, and their two children who arrived in Philadelphia in 1685; and John Cuerton who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1880.



  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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