The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought many new words to England from which surnames were formed. Chate was one of these new Norman names. It was specifically tailored to its first bearer, who was a person who has a fancied resemblance to a cat. The name stems from the Old Northern French cat, of the same meaning, which occurs in many languages in the same form from a very early period.
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Early Origins of the Chate family
The surname Chate was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Chate family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chate research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chate History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Chate Spelling Variations
A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Catt, Cat, Catts, Ketts, Chatt, Chat and others.
Early Notables of the Chate family
More information is included under the topic Early Chate Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Chate family
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Chate or a variant listed above: John Catt who settled in Maryland in 1775; Richard Catt settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1774; Richard Cate settled in Nevis in 1654.
