Charatan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Charatan

What does the name Charatan mean?

Charatan is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Charatan family lived in Bedfordshire, at Charrington Hall.

Early Origins of the Charatan family

The surname Charatan was first found in Bedfordshire. However, Cherington is a parish, in the union of Tetbury, hundred of Longtree, in Gloucestershire 1 and there is another Cherington found in Warwickshire. Of the two, the parish in Gloucestershire is the oldest as that one dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Cerintone. The Warwickshire parish dates back to 1199 when it was listed as Chiriton. Both meant "village with a church" from the Old English words "cirice" + "tun." 2

Early History of the Charatan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Charatan research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Charatan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Charatan Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Charrington, Charington, Chariton and others.

Early Notables of the Charatan family

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

Migration of the Charatan family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Charatan or a variant listed above: Thomas Charrington (or Charriton), who settled in Maryland in 1634; Elizabeth Chariton settled in New England in 1758; as well as Mr. Charrington and his family, who settled in Barbados in 1776..

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)