Chaworthy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient history of the Chaworthy name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in London, where their name is derived from the place-name Chatworth, now lost. Before this, the name is derived from the Old English personal name Ceatta, with the suffix -worth, which means enclosure or farm. Combined, the name Chatworth meant "Ceatta's farm." 1

Early Origins of the Chaworthy family

The surname Chaworthy was first found in Derbyshire at Chatsworth, a hamlet, in the parish of Edensor, union of Bakewell, hundred of High Peak. This hamlet has been held by the Duke of Devonshire; and consists almost wholly of Chatsworth Park, which extends into the hamlet of Edensor, and the townships of Baslow and Beeley, and comprises 1200 acres of land. The magnificent mansion of Chatsworth is built upon the site of a more ancient edifice, in which Mary, Queen of Scots, passed a considerable portion of her captivity. " 2

The variant Chaworth traces back to "Patrick de Cadurcis, or Chaworth, whose name appears on the Battle Roll, was a native of Little Brittany, and after the victory of Hastings, appears to have been rewarded by grants of land in Gloucestershire. From him descended Thomas de Chaworth, who was summoned to parliament as a Baron in 1299, and whose descend- ants continued for a long series of generations, seated in high repute in the counties of Nottingham and Derby." 3

Early History of the Chaworthy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chaworthy research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1349, 1401, 1430, 1458, 1507, 1568, 1605, 1621, 1622, 1635, 1639, 1644 and 1693 are included under the topic Early Chaworthy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chaworthy Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Chaworthy include Chadworth, Chatworth, Chaworth, Shadworth and others.

Early Notables of the Chaworthy family

Notables of the family at this time include Joan Chaworth (1430-1507), the heiress of Alfreton, married in 1458 to John Ormond; George Chaworth, 1st Viscount Chaworth of Armagh (c.1568-1639)...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chaworthy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chaworthy family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Chaworthy or a variant listed above: Thomas Chadworth who settled in Virginia in 1643; John Shadworth settled in New England in 1765.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.