Chancay History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe history of the Chancay family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Cauncy, near Amiens, in northern France. The Sieur de Cauncy came from here. "His descendant Sir Henry Chauncy gained distinction as the historian of Hertfordshire. Many of the name and family are settled in that county." 1 "It is quite possible that Chance may have been a personal name, like Bonaventure, which it exactly represented; chance in Middle English generally meaning a happy accident, a good mishap. " 2 Early Origins of the Chancay familyThe surname Chancay was first found in Essex where Robert and Ralph Chance were listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1209 and later in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310. Simon de Chanci was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1218 and later, Roger de Chauncy was found in the Pipe Rolls for Yorkshire in 1230. Also in Yorkshire, we found John Chancy listed there 1293-1294. Later, Roger Chansi was listed in Gloucestershire in 1361. 3 Early History of the Chancay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chancay research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1581, 1592, 1632, 1654, 1672, 1691, 1712 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Chancay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Chancay Spelling VariationsAnglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Chance, Chancey, Chaunceur, Channsy, Channsey, Chauncey, Chancy and many more. Early Notables of the Chancay familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Maurice Chauncy (d. 1581), Carthusian monk, whose surname is found under the forms of Chamney, Chawney, Chancy, Channy, Chenye, Chasee, and Chawsey, was the eldest son of John Chauncy, esq., of Ardele, Hertfordshire. 4
and Charles Chauncy (1592-1672), was an English-born, American clergyman and educator from Yardleybury (Ardeley), Hertfordshire who became President of Harvard College in... Migration of the Chancay familyFor many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Chancay or a variant listed above were: Jane Chance who settled in Grenada in 1774; John Chance arrived in New York in 1710; Will Chance settled in Georgia in 1735; Charles Chauncy settled in New England in 1638 was Second President of Harvard College.
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