Chowdhury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Chowdhury is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Chowdhury family lived in Berkshire. The name, however, refers to the area of Cordray, in Eure, Normandy, where the family lived prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. "Benedict de Coudray was witness to a charter of Roger de Menilwarin to Deulacresse Abbey (Mon. ii.) and Fulco de Coudray held one fee from Abingdon Abbey." 1

Early Origins of the Chowdhury family

The surname Chowdhury was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where John de Coudray (no county) was listed. A few years later, the Writs of Parliament listed William de Coudraye, 1307. 2

Early History of the Chowdhury family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chowdhury research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1577, 1588, 1590, 1600, 1616, 1618, 1619, 1664 and 1684 are included under the topic Early Chowdhury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chowdhury Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Cowdrey, Cowdray, Cowderey, Cowderoy, Corderoy, Cordroy, Cowdroy, Cowdry, Cowdery and many more.

Early Notables of the Chowdhury family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Abbott Monsire Cowdrey; and Daniel Cawdry (Cawdrey) (1588-1664), an English clergyman, member of the Westminster Assembly. He was the youngest son of Robert Cawdry. 3Zachary Cawdry (1616-1684), author of the 'Discourse of Patronage,' was born in 1616 at Melton Mowbray, of which town his father, also called Zachary, was vicar. 3Jeremy Corderory (fl. 1600), was an English divine, "the son of a Wiltshire gentleman. He was sent about 1577...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chowdhury Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chowdhury Ranking

In the United States, the name Chowdhury is the 15,891^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Chowdhury migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Chowdhury or a variant listed above:

Chowdhury Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Hern Chandra Chowdhury, aged 22, who landed in America from Decca, India, in 1913

Contemporary Notables of the name Chowdhury (post 1700) +

Abdul Momin Chowdhury (1940-2024), Bangladeshi historian and academic
Akram Hossain Chowdhury (1955-2023), Bangladesh Awami League politician
Imam Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury (1926-2023), Bangladeshi career bureaucrat and adviser
Asad Chowdhury (1943-2023), Bangladeshi poet, writer, translator, radio, television personality, journalist, and cultural activist
Abu Osman Chowdhury (1936-2020), Bangladeshi war hero and freedom fighter
Jharna Dhara Chowdhury (1938-2019), Bangladeshi social activist
Belal Chowdhury (1938-2018), Bangladeshi poet who was awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1984
A. B. M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury (1944-2017), Bangladesh Awami League politician, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (1996-2000)
Amitabha Chowdhury (1927-2015), Indian Ramon Magsaysay Award winning investigative journalist
Shefali Chowdhury (b. 1988), British actress best known for playing the role of Parvati Patil in the Harry Potter films

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/