Churchon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Churchon surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in Gloucestershire, where they took their name from the village of Churcham. The place-name is comprised of two elements: church and hamm. Church meant just that, and hamm was a Old English word for river meadow. The name meant "dweller by the church on the river meadow."

One source claims the name could have been derived from the name Churchyard or a local name as in "at the churchay," from the residence nearby. 1

Early Origins of the Churchon family

The surname Churchon was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Churchon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Churchon research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1659, 1675, 1682 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Churchon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Churchon 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 Churchon include Churcher, Churchar, Churcham and others.

Early Notables of the Churchon family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Richard Churcher (1659-1723), an English businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the British East India Company. He founded Churcher's College, a school in Hampshire. He was the eldest son of Richard Churcher, gentleman, of Funtington, Sussex, was born there in 1659. "He was apprenticed (1675-1682) to John Jacob, an eminent citizen and barber-surgeon of London...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Churchon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Churchon 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: Thomas Churcher who settled in Barbados in 1654; and a later Thomas arrived in Philadelphia in 1844.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)