Chippendale

This interesting and unusual name with variant spellings Chippindale and Chippindall, is of English locational origin from "Chippingdale" in Lancashire near Clitheroe, so called from the Old English pre seventh Century word "cieping", "ceping", meaning market, market town" plus the Medieval English word "dale", valley. The place is recorded as "Chipinden" in the Domesday Book of 1086 and "Cepndela" in the Lancashire Charters of 1102. The surname itself, first appears in records in the mid 13th Century (see below), One Richard Chipyndale was mentioned in the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire in 1379, while the Register of the Freeman of York record one John Chippendale in 1434. Notable name bearers include the following: Thomas Chippendale (1718-1779), the world-renown furniture maker and designer of London whose style was characterized by the use of Chinese and Gothic motifs, cabriole legs and a massive carving: Mary Jane Chippendale (1837-1888), nee Seaman, an actress who married William Henry Chippendale (1801-1888), an actor who appeared as David in "Rivals" at Montrose in 1819, and Park Theatre New York, 1836-1853. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Dyke de Chipendale, which was dated 1246, in the "Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.