The name Chittendent first arose amongst the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the village of Crotynden (Crittenden or Cruttenden) in West
Kent. This lost village is thought to have derived its name from the Old English
personal name Gu(dh)here + Old English "-ing" and "denn," literally meaning "person living near a woodland pasture." (Oxford)
Another source claims the name was derived from "the cot on the lower hill; from cru, a cot; tane, lower, and dun or din, a hill; or it may be the chalk hill, from krit, Saxon, chalk." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Early Origins of the Chittendent family
The surname Chittendent was first found in West
Kent at Crittenden. While this is the generally accepted origin of the name one source claims the family originally "came from Criddon, formerly Critendone (Cridela's hill), in Shropshire."
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York, Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Early History of the Chittendent family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chittendent research.
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 148 and 1481 are included under the topic Early Chittendent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Chittendent 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 Chittendent has appeared include Crittenden, Cruttenden, Critenden, Crutenden and many more.
Early Notables of the Chittendent family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Chittendent Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Chittendent family to the New World and Oceana
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 Chittendent arrived in North America very early: George Crittenden who arrived in San Francisco in 1852 with his wife, six children, and two servants; Albert Crittenden, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1876.
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Citations
- ^ Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- ^ Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York, Harper & Row, 1956. Print