Chidgey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the Chidgey name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Chidgey was originally derived from a family having lived in the parish of Chedzoy, near Bridgewater in the county of Somerset. 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.'" ^[1]

Early Origins of the Chidgey family

The surname Chidgey was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Chidgey family

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

Chidgey Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Chidgey include Chedzoy, Chedzey, Chidzoy, Chedgey, Chedsey, Chidgey, Chidsey, Chedesy and many more.

Early Notables of the Chidgey family (pre 1700)

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Chedsey or Cheadsey (1510?-1574?), English divine, a native of Somersetshire. "He was admitted a scholar of Corpus Christi...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chidgey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chidgey migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Chidgey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

James Chidgey, aged 63, who landed in America from Cheltenham, in 1903
Percy O. Chidgey, aged 20, who landed in America from Bristol, England, in 1910
Arthur Chidgey, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Milton Regis, England, in 1912
John Chidgey, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Bridgewater, England, in 1913
Francis W. Chidgey, aged 3, who landed in America from Bristol, England, in 1920
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chidgey (post 1700) +

David William George Chidgey (1942-2022), Baron Chidgey, English Liberal Democrat politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Eastleigh (1994-2005), Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal (2005-2020)
Harry Chidgey (b. 1879), English first-class cricketer and test match umpire
Catherine Chidgey (b. 1970), New Zealand novelist and writer, recipient of the Adam Foundation Prize in 1997

Citations +

^ Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.