Chidelay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient roots of the Chidelay family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Chidelay comes from when the family lived in the township of Chidlow, which was in the parish of Malpas in Cheshire. The surname Chidelay belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Chidelay family

The surname Chidelay was first found in Devon at Chudleigh, a market-town and parish, in the union of Newton-Abbott, hundred of Exminster, Teignbridge. "This place, anciently called Chidleighe, was the residence of the bishops of Exeter, who had a sumptuous palace, of which there are some small remains." 1 2

"Haldon House, is in [the parish of Exmouth, Devon]. Haldon House was originally built by Sir George Chudleigh, the last Baronet of that family, but the mansion and grounds owe their present aspect to the improvements effected since they were purchased by Sir Robert Palk. " 3

The parish dates back to at least c. 1150 when it was named Ceddelegam, and literally means "clearing of a man called Ciedda," or "clearing in a hollow," from the Old English personal name or Old English word "ceod(e)" + "leah." 4

"Half a mile from the town is Chudleigh Rock, a stupendous mass of limestone, in which is a cavern of considerable extent; and near it are very perfect remains of an elliptical encampment, supposed from its form to be of Danish origin, but, from its proximity to a Roman road, to have been previously occupied by that people." 1

"Ashton, [Devon] was for over four centuries the residence of the Chudleigh family, who lived at Place. The manor was given by the Conqueror to Hervey de Helion, and held at ' Domesday ' by his wife. It came to the Chudleighs about 1320. Sir George Chudleigh, the first Baronet, sided with the Parliament when the Civil War broke out, and took part in the battle of Stratton. Not long after he changed sides, and had his house garrisoned in the Royalist interest. It was taken by a party of Fairfax's army in December, 1645; and Colonel James Chudleigh, Sir George's eldest son, was killed at the storming of Dartmouth in the following month, when Place was a garrison for the Parliament. The Chudleigh baronetcy ended in 1745, when Sir James Chudleigh was killed at the siege of Ostend." 3

Early History of the Chidelay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chidelay research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1601, 1606, 1612, 1618, 1625, 1628, 1629, 1634, 1643, 1656, 1658, 1691 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Chidelay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chidelay Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Chidelay has appeared include Chudleigh, Chudley, Chidley, Chiderleigh, Chidelly, Chudley and many more.

Early Notables of the Chidelay family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir George Chudleigh, 1st Baronet (c.1578-1658), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1601 and 1625, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; Sir John Chudleigh (1606-1634), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1628 to 1629; Major-General James Chudleigh (c.1618 -...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chidelay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chidelay family to Ireland

Some of the Chidelay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chidelay family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Chidelay arrived in North America very early: Catherine Chidley who settled in Virginia in 1685; John Chidley settled in Virginia in 1737.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)