Campden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Campden

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Campden surname lived in Gloucestershire, where they held a family seat at Chipping Campden. The name is derived from the Old English "camp," meaning "a battle or war." 1

"This place, which is of very great antiquity, is supposed to have derived its name from an encampment formed prior to a battle between the Mercians and the West Saxons. In 689, a congress of the Saxon chiefs, confederated for the conquest of Britain, was held here." 2

Alternatively the name could have originated in Camden-Town, a chapelry, in the parish of St. Pancras, Holborn division of the hundred of Ossulstone, county of Middlesex. "This place takes its name from the Marquess Camden, lessee of the prebendal manor of Cantelows, in which it is situated." 2

Early Origins of the Campden family

Early History of the Campden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Campden research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1551 and 1623 are included under the topic Early Campden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Campden 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 Campden 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 Campden include: Camden, Campden and others.

Early Notables of the Campden family

William Camden (1551-1623), English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of Britannia, the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Annales, the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England. Born in the Old Bailey, London, his father Sampson Camden, a native of Lichfleld, who in early life...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Campden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Campden family

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 Campden or a variant listed above: Charles Camden who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1850.