Map of England showing where the Chellew arms are recorded
The Chellew arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 Chellew 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 England.
Origin & History of the Chellew Family in England
The family name Chellew is deeply rooted in the history of Cornwall, where it likely originated as a locational name derived from the Cornish language. While the name is most famously associated with the southwestern tip of England, records confirm that members of the family were established in the northern city of York by 1620. This suggests that the family was mobile during the early seventeenth century, perhaps moving for trade, religious reasons, or the shifting economic opportunities of the era. By settling in a major urban center like York, these early ancestors integrated into a bustling hub of commerce and administration far from their traditional southwestern origins. This migration highlights the adaptability of the family as they moved from rural Cornish roots into the heart of northern English society during the reign of King James I.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Celle
Old French term for a cell or a small monastic dwelling.
This name
ChellewA locational surname derived from a dweller near a small monastic cell or hermitage.
also spelled
Chellie
Chelly
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York. Archbishop of York’s Diocesan Records: Parish Registers of St. Michael le Belfrey, York
Padel, O.J. A Popular Dictionary of Cornish Place-Names. 1988
Tancock, O.W. The Parish Registers of St. Michael le Belfrey, York, Part I. 1899
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
