The Anglo-Saxon name Chatvine comes from the family having resided in Salop (now Shropshire) where they derived their family name from the parish of Chetwynde. The place-name is derived from the Old English compound word which means "dweller at the winding ascent." [1]
The surname Chatvine was first found in Shropshire at Chetwynd, a rural civil parish just to the north of Newport. The original Chetwynd manor dates back to Saxon times and was held by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, about 1050. While there is no doubt of the family's Saxon heritage, we must consider the Norman "Chetwynd or De Verlai, from Verlai, Normandy." Continuing, "in 1086, Turold de Verlai held thirteen lordships in Salop from Earl Roger, of which Chetwynd appears to have been the chief. Robert his son was a Baron temp. Henry I., and before 1121 witnessed a charter in favour of Salop Abbey." [2]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chatvine research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1318, 1676, 1638, 1584, 1586, 1633, 1693, 1643, 1702, 1689, 1695, 1701, 1702, 1717, 1678, 1736, 1680, 1767, 1684 and 1770 are included under the topic Early Chatvine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Chatvine has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Chetwynd, Chetwyn, Chetwynde, Chetwin, Chitwyn and others.
Notables of the family at this time include Walter Chetwynd (died 1638), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Newcastle under Lyme (1584-1586); Walter Chetwynd FRS (1633-1693), of Ingestre Hall, an English antiquary and politician; and John Chetwynd (1643-1702), an English politician from Rudge, Shropshire, Member of Parliament for Stafford from 1689 to 1695, and again in 1701 and 1702...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chatvine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Chatvines to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Chetwin who settled in Jamaica in 1684.