Chesworth

This locational surname derives from the village of Chesworth, in Sussex, or from some now 'lost' medieval site. Like the village of 'Cheswick' the original meaning was probably the 'place (wort) where cheese (chaes) was made' from the Olde English pre 7th century. The village of Chesworth is renowned for being the home 'since time immemorial' (quote) of the De Braose family, which suggests that the Chesworth nameholders were tenants. Be that as it may the Chesworths of Suffolk were granted arms in circa 1790, the blazon being per pale red and silver, a pale engrailed. Examples of the church recordings include Georgius Chesworth who married Dorothea Blackmoor at the famous church of St Martins in the Field, Westminster, London, England, on May 30th 1573, John Cheesworth, son of John and Joane Cheesworth, christened at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on April 24th 1638, and Edward Chesworth, christened at St Mary Whitechapel, London, on November 16th 1766. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roland de Chesworth, which was dated 1273, in the Hundred Rolls of the county of Sussex, during the reign of King Edward 1, known as 'The hammer of the Scots', 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.