Chitter

Chitter
Recorded in various spellings including Ceater, Cheater, Cheeter, Chitter, and others, this is an English surname, but one of medieval French origins. It is occupational and would seem to describe an early accountant or possibly a court bailiff, one whose job it was to track down 'eschetours.' These were people who for one reason or another were evading paying taxes and fines, and in consequence were pursued by 'chetours'. In a way this surname is similar to that of Farmer. Originally farmers were not people who worked the land, but who on behalf of the local lord, selected other people to 'farm'. The surname is very early with John Chetour being recorded in the Subsidy Tax rolls of Suffolk in 1327. Later examples from the surviving church registers of the city of London include Theopholus Cheter at St Benets church, Pauls Wharf, on August 1st 1660, and Thomas Chitter who married Mary Smithsend at Lincolns Inn Chapel on December 16th 1732.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • chitter — vb *chirp, chirrup, cheep, peep, tweet, twitter chitter n chirp, chirrup, cheep, peep, tweet, twitter (see under CHIRP vb) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Chitter — Chit ter, v. i. [Cf. {Chatter}.] 1. To chirp in a tremulous manner, as a bird. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. To shiver or chatter with cold. [Scot.] Burns. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chitter — [chit′ər] vi. [ME chiteren: orig. echoic] 1. to twitter 2. [Brit. Dial.] to shiver with cold …   English World dictionary

  • chitter — intransitive verb Etymology: Middle English chiteren, probably of imitative origin Date: 13th century twitter, chirp; also chatter …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • chitter — /chit euhr/, v.i. to twitter. [1350 1400; ME che(a)teren, chiteren, var. of chateren to CHATTER] * * * …   Universalium

  • chitter — verb To make a series of high pitched sounds; to twitter, chirp or chatter …   Wiktionary

  • chitter — verb 1》 make a twittering or chattering sound. 2》 Scottish & dialect shiver with cold. Origin ME: imitative; cf. chatter …   English new terms dictionary

  • chitter — chit·ter …   English syllables

  • chitter — chit•ter [[t]ˈtʃɪt ər[/t]] v. i. to twitter • Etymology: 1350–1400; ME che(a)teren, chiteren, alter. of chateren to chatter …   From formal English to slang

  • chitter — /ˈtʃɪtə/ (say chituh) verb (i) 1. (especially of birds) to twitter. –noun 2. a soft chatter; twitter. {Middle English; imitative} …  

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