A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chesworth family of England.
Reg. 3906 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Per pale gu. and ar. a pale engr. (another, plain) or”
SuffolkSuffolk, c. 1620
Where the Chesworth Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Chesworth arms are recorded
The Chesworth arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of 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 Chesworth 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Chesworth Family in England
The name Chesworth is a locational surname that likely originated from a specific place or farmstead in England. By the early 17th century, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the county of Suffolk. During this period, Suffolk was a center for agriculture and the thriving wool trade, which provided many families with the stability needed to put down deep roots. The name itself follows a common pattern of English surnames derived from Old English words, where "worth" typically refers to an enclosed homestead or a small settlement. Families like the Chesworths were often identified by the land they occupied, meaning the name served as a way to connect a person to their specific home and community. As these early ancestors lived and worked in the rural landscape of 1620s England, their name became a permanent marker of their family history and their place in the local society.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ceolweard
Old English elements meaning ship or keel and guardian or protector.
This name
ChesworthDerived from a place name meaning the enclosure or farmstead belonging to Ceolweard.
also spelled
Cheswort
Chesworthy
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Dunkling, Leslie, First Dictionary of Surnames, 1993
Suffolk Archives, Ipswich Parish Registers, 1620
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
