Chadwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


Chadwick is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Chadwick family lived in the parish of Rochdale in Lancashire. They were granted the lands near Chadwick in this area by William the Conqueror shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066. "Lancashire is the true home of the surname. This surname is to be met with in every town in Lancashire. It must have crossed the Atlantic at an early period, as it is strongly represented in the States directories." 1

"The Chadwicks of Chadwick in Rochdale parish are a very old and distinguished family dating back from the present to the 14th century; the hamlet of Chadwick has been in their possession since the family was founded: Healey Hall has been for many centuries a seat of the family. 2

Another source notes an alternate spelling of the hamlet: "Chadwyke, a hamlet in the parish of Rochdale, the property of the family in the XIV. cent." 3

Early Origins of the Chadwick family

The surname Chadwick was first found in Staffordshire at Mavesyn Ridware, a small village and civil parish now in the in Lichfield District. The family claim descendancy from the Cawardens and ultimately the Malvesyns who came with the Conqueror. 4

"The Chadwicks belong to one of the most ancient and eminent of Staffordshire families, known as the Chadwicks of Ridware in this county." 2 But the earliest record in rolls of the family lies in the aforementioned Lancashire where Nicholas de Chadwyke, was listed temp. Edward III (during the reign of King Edward III.) Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Elena Chadwyk. 1

Chadwick is also "a hamlet and manor, in the parish and union of Bromsgrove, Upper division of the hundred of Halfshire, Droitwich and E. divisions of the county of Worcester." 5 However, we can find no relationship with the locale and the surname.

Early History of the Chadwick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chadwick research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1080 and 1335 are included under the topic Early Chadwick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chadwick Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Chadwick are characterized by many spelling variations. 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. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Chadwick include Chadwick, Chadwicke, Chadwyck, Chaddick, Chadwich, Shadduck and many more.

Early Notables of the Chadwick family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Chadwick Ranking

In the United States, the name Chadwick is the 2,216th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 6 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Chadwick is ranked the 459th most popular surname with an estimated 14,083 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Chadwick family to Ireland

Some of the Chadwick 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.


Chadwick migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Chadwick, or a variant listed above:

Chadwick Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Chadwick Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Chadwick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Chadwick migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chadwick Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Chadwick Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Chadwick migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Chadwick Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Chadwick Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Chadwick migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Chadwick Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Chadwick (post 1700) +


The Chadwick Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In candore decus
Motto Translation: There is honour in sincerity.


Suggested Readings for the name Chadwick +
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