| ![Show Contents]() Chessmen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of ChessmenWhat does the name Chessmen mean? The founding heritage of the Chessmen family is in the Anglo-Saxon culture that once dominated in Britain. The name Chessmen comes from when one of the family worked as a maker or seller of cheese. 1 2 The surname Chessmen literally means the cheeseman. The surname Chessmen is derived from the Old English word ciese and the West Saxon word cyse, which both mean cheese. The suffix man is one of the most common suffixes for occupational names. Early Origins of the Chessmen familyThe surname Chessmen was first found in Cheshire where Henry le Cheseman was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1260. A few years later, William le Chesman was listed in Sussex in 1311 and later again, Thomas Chesman, le Chusman was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. Over in Somerset, Adam le Chisman and Alice Chisman were listed there in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included John le Cheseman, Huntingdonshire. 4 Early History of the Chessmen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chessmen research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1273, 1523, 1553, 1554, 1559, 1563, 1564, 1573, 1574, 1579, 1580, 1584, 1585, 1591, 1592, 1598, 1616, 1620, 1643, 1652, 1665, 1675 and 1704 are included under the topic Early Chessmen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Chessmen Spelling VariationsThe first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Chessmen has been spelled many different ways, including Cheeseman, Cheesman, Cheesemen and others. Early Notables of the Chessmen familyJohn Cheseman (died 1592) of New Romney, Kent, an English solicitor and Member of Parliament for New Romney in October 1553, April 1554 and 1559 and Mayor of New Romney in 1563-1564, 1573-1574, 1579-1580, 1584-1585 and 1591-1592.
John Cheesman (c. 1598-1665) was an English merchant and politician that settled in Virginia in the 1620s. He settled in what eventually became Elizabeth City County, Virginia. Early records show that Cheeseman was likely the same John Cheeseman that married Anne Willett...
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chessmen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Chessmen familyThousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Chessmens to arrive in North America: William Cheeseman who settled in Bermuda in 1635; Clement Cheeseman settled in Maryland in 1774; John Cheeseman settled in New York State in 1821; Morton Cheeseman settled in San Francisco, Cal. in 1850..
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- 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)
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