Chairwant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the name Chairwant are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Sherwin. 1 Alternatively the name could have been from the Old English word Scirwine (bright, friend); a nickname for a fast runner, "shear wind." 2

Early Origins of the Chairwant family

The surname Chairwant was first found in Nottinghamshire at Bramcote, a parish, in the union of Shardlow, S. division of the wapentake of Broxtow. 3 However, we must look to Oxfordshire to find the earliest listings as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: John Surewyne; and William Surewyne as both residing there at that time. 1

But it is Nottinghamshire that the lion's share of the family claim descent. "Sherwin was a well known name in Nottingham two centuries ago. Between 1623 and 1716, five mayors of that town bore this name." 4

Early History of the Chairwant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chairwant research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1581, 1607, 1645, 1687 and 1709 are included under the topic Early Chairwant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chairwant Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Chairwant family name include Sherwin, Sherwyn, Sherwins and others.

Early Notables of the Chairwant family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Saint Ralph Sherwin (1550-1581) was an English Roman Catholic priest born at Radesley, near Langford, Derbyshire who was charged with having conspired to procure the queen's deposition and death, and to promote rebellion at home and invasion of the...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chairwant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chairwant family to Ireland

Some of the Chairwant family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chairwant family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Chairwant surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Sherwin who arrived in New England in 1679; John Sherwin arrived in New York in 1820; John, Thomas and William Sherwin, all arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1870..

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.