Map of England showing where the Chatham arms are recorded
The Chatham arms were recorded in Lancashire, c. 1620.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Chatham arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Lancashire.
Origin & History of the Chatham Family in England
The family name Chatham is a locational surname, which means it was originally taken from the name of a specific place. While the name is most famously linked to the town of Chatham in Kent, the branch of the family established in Lancashire by 1620 likely adopted the name to identify themselves as people who had migrated from a settlement bearing that title. During the seventeenth century, surnames were becoming increasingly fixed, and families often used these names to maintain a connection to their ancestral origins or to distinguish themselves in new communities. In the context of Lancashire, the name suggests that early members were part of the steady movement of people across England during the late Tudor and early Stuart periods. These individuals were likely farmers, tradespeople, or laborers who contributed to the local economy of the region while carrying the history of their geographic roots in their name.
Chatham Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Cete-ham
Old English words for cottage or homestead near a river bend.
This name
ChathamA habitational name referring to a settlement located by a river bend or village.
also spelled
Chathem
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, 1890
Lancashire Archives, Bishop's Transcripts of Parish Registers, 1620
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