Chartland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Chartland

What does the name Chartland mean?

The history of the Chartland family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Alwington, Devon. The name is taken from the town of Cartland in this area.

Early Origins of the Chartland family

The surname Chartland was first found in Devon where they held a family seat at Alwington in that shire. Alwington or Alphington, or Alfintone was held at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 by Duke William of Normandy by Earl Harold as chief tenant, it being a part of Exeter. Conjecturally, the Cartland surname is descended from this Baron. It was customary for the sons of Barons, under tenants, to adopt the name of their holding so as to distinguish father and son.

Much further to the north in Scotland, Cartland is a small village in the parish of Lanark. 1

Early History of the Chartland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chartland research. The year 1898 is included under the topic Early Chartland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chartland Spelling Variations

Anglo-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 Cartland, Cartlan, Cartlane, Chartland, Chartlane, Chartlan, Chartlin, Cartlin, Cartle and many more.

Early Notables of the Chartland family

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

Migration of the Chartland family

For 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 Chartland or a variant listed above were: Nathaniel Cartland and Philip Cartland both of whom were recorded as having arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1638; as well as other settlers who established themselves along the eastern coast of the United States and in Canada during the 18th and 19th centuries..

The Chartland Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Loyal devoir
Motto Translation: Loyal duty.

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.