Chilham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Chilham is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a military officer in the 10th century, probably comparable to a modern sergeant. The surname Chilham is derived from the Old English word cild, which means child. The name was applied to the rank above the common soldier in that period, probably because they were in charge of "children." Later, in the 13th and 14th centuries, the name came to denote a page or a young man in training for the knighthood. The surname Chilham is likely based mostly on this sense of the word child, judging by its inclusion of the suffix -man, which was one of the most common suffixes for occupational names and meant servant. However, Chilham may also be a patronymic surname derived from the personal name Chilmond.

Early Origins of the Chilham family

The surname Chilham was first found in Cambridgeshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Chilham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chilham research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1239, 1253, 1273, 1276, 1296, 1311, 1327 and 1580 are included under the topic Early Chilham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chilham 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 Chilham include Chilman, Chillman, Childman, Childesman, Chilham, Chileman, Chilemound, Chilmon, Chilleman and many more.

Early Notables of the Chilham family

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

Migration of the Chilham family to Ireland

Some of the Chilham 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 Chilham family

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: Nicholas Chilman who arrived in Virginia in 1646 and Richard Chilman in Maryland in 1674.