Chadbourn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Chadbourn

What does the name Chadbourn mean?

The lineage of the name Chadbourn begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the settlement of Chatburn in the county of Lancashire. The village, civil parish and electoral ward dates back to at least 1242 when it was recorded as Chatteburn, and literally meant "stream of a man called Ceatta," from the Old English personal name + "burna." 1

Early Origins of the Chadbourn family

The surname Chadbourn was first found in Lancashire at Chatburn, a district chapelry and a township, in the parish of Whalley. This township is situated on the Ribble river and takes its name from one of the most distinguished characters of that time, St Chad (d. 672) a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman and abbot of several monasteries; Bishop of the Northumbrians; and later Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. The township has remained relatively small through the ages as by the end of the 19th century it had only 500 inhabitants. 2

A scan of early rolls revealed a variety of spelling in use over the years: John de Chatteburn in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls in 1379; William Chatburn, a Freeman of York in 1449; John Chadbourne 1660, Chatband 1788, Chadband 1802. 3

Another source notes the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls include: Johannes de Chatteburn; Henricus de Chatteburn; and Ricardus Chattburne. 4 In Scotland, "this surname, recorded in Aberdeen, is most probably a recent introduction from England." 5

Early History of the Chadbourn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chadbourn research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chadbourn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chadbourn Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Chadbourn has undergone many spelling variations, including Chadbourne, Chadborn, Chadbourn, Chadburn and many more.

Early Notables of the Chadbourn family

More information is included under the topic Early Chadbourn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chadbourn family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Chadbourn were among those contributors: William and Humphrey Chadborn who settled in New Hampshire in 1630; both of these gentlemen spelled their name with 'bourne' and 'burne' in addition to many registrations in 'born'. C. Chadburn arrived in San Francisco Cal. in 1850..

Contemporary Notables of the name Chadbourn (post 1700) +

James H. Chadbourn (1905-1982), American legal scholar and professor of law at Harvard University
Mark Chadbourn (b. 1960), English fantasy, horror and science fiction writer
Philip H Chadbourn Jr., Consul-General U.S. Consulate, Marseille, France

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)