Show ContentsCheesewright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Cheesewright is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was given to a person who was a maker of the village cheese. The surname Cheesewright can be traced to the Old English cesewyrhta which means "a cheese-maker." This profession was very important in the medieval period; in the days before refrigeration, milk could be kept for a day or two at most, and the only way to ensure a long term supply of dairy products was to make it into cheese. The suffix -wright was usually adopted by a someone who provided a service with either wood or machinery.

Early Origins of the Cheesewright family

The surname Cheesewright was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from early times.

Early History of the Cheesewright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cheesewright research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1228, 1293, 1478, 1500 and 1609 are included under the topic Early Cheesewright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cheesewright Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Cheesewright family name include Cheesewright, Cheeswright, Cheeseright, Chesewright, Cheswright, Chiswright, Chesewricte, Cheeseman, Cheesman and many more.

Early Notables of the Cheesewright family

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


Australia Cheesewright migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cheesewright Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Cheesewright, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 27th July 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 1
  • William Cheesewright, aged 34, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" 2


  1. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-grey
  2. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PHOEBE DUNBAR 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/phoebedunbar1852.shtml


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