Chedzoy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Chedzoy

What does the name Chedzoy mean?

The name Chedzoy has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the parish of Chedzoy, near Bridgewater in the county of Somerset, England. "The church [of Chedzoy] is a spacious cruciform structure in the Norman style, with a lofty embattled tower, and a north and south porch, over the latter of which is the date 1579. Roman coins have frequently been discovered. " 1

Chedzoy dates back to Saxon times when it was first recorded as Chedesie, in 729 and literally meant "island or dry ground in marsh, of a man called *Cedd," from the Old English personal name + "eg." 2

Alternatively, the name could have originated in "Chevtsey, a town in Surrey, England, near the Thames, pronounced by the natives, Chedsey, meaning 'Cerot's Island.'" 3

Early Origins of the Chedzoy family

The surname Chedzoy was first found in Somerset, England. "Chedgey in the London Directory is a very natural variant.' 4

Early History of the Chedzoy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chedzoy research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1349, 1369, 1510, 1528, 1531, 1574 and 1778 are included under the topic Early Chedzoy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chedzoy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Chedzoy have been found, including Chedzoy, Chedzey, Chidzoy, Chedgey, Chedsey, Chidgey, Chidsey, Chedesy and many more.

Early Notables of the Chedzoy family

William Chedsey or Cheadsey (1510?-1574?), English divine, a native of Somersetshire. "He was admitted a scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 10 March 1528, was elected a...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chedzoy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chedzoy family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Chedzoy, or a variant listed above: John Chedsey who arrived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1644.

Contemporary Notables of the name Chedzoy (post 1700) +

Dr Alan Chedzoy, English author, best known for his books, The People's Poet, William Barnes of Dorset, A Scandalous Woman: The Story of Caroline Norton and Sheridans Nightingale: The Story of Elizabeth Linley

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)