Chese History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Chese

What does the name Chese mean?

The Chese name was coined by the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Chese was originally a name given to someone who worked as a cheese-maker or seller of cheese. The surname Chese is derived from the Old English word cese and the West Saxon word cyse, which both mean cheese. 1 Occupational names frequently refer to the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. These types of occupational surnames are called metonymic surnames. The surname Chese belongs to this class of names. So as to underline this point, we found Walter le cheser listed in Herefordshire in 1366. 1

Early Origins of the Chese family

The surname Chese was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where John Chese, Norfolk; and Hamo Chese, Salop (Shropshire) are listed. 2

Eluding to the possible Norman origin of the name one source notes that the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists John Fromage of Normandy, 1195 and that the Hundredorum Rolls of c. 1272 includes an entry for Peter Fromage of England. This same source notes that entries after this point change from French "fromage" to the English term "cheese." 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include: Ricardus Chese; and Thomas Chese. 2

Early History of the Chese family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chese research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1279, 1332, 1366, 1379, 1500, 1597, 1771 and 1808 are included under the topic Early Chese History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chese Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Chese are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Chese include: Cheese, Chese, Chuse, Chouse, Cheser, Chesse and others.

Early Notables of the Chese family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chese Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chese family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Chese or a variant listed above: Edmund Cheese who arrived in New York in 1832 and Robert Cheese in Mississippi in 1890.

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)