Searching for surnames

[sheelak]

Like Carla, I was not sure where to place my request for help.

My problem is that the surname I am searching for is CHADD. I have managed to trace my ancestors back to Thomas CHADD baptised in 1695 in Bosbury, Herefordshire. His parents are listed as Samuel and Elizabeth CHADD. I have looked through the Bosbury parish records but could not find a Samuel baptised or marrying an Elizabeth in the likely time frame. In desparation I have just put in Samuel CHADD baptised approx 1660 and marrying Elizabeth about 1690 in any area on Familysearch and Ancestry but without success. A fellow family researcher suggested the family came from Buckinghamshire and although there are many Chadds there in the right time frame, but no Samuels!

I wondered whether there were any altnernative names I could search for, knowing how differently letters were written in the early years. Any help or advice would be very welcome.

 

[Tim]

Hi Sheelak,

From a Google search I got this old names.

It suggests that the name could be Welsh in origin.

 

[Carla]

Tim, I got so excited when I saw the link as I hoped it could help me, but would you believe it the surname I typed in hadn't been researched yet. Then I had a moment of brilliance, typed in one of the variations and lo and behold up came the information Thank you very much.

 

[sheelak]

Thank you, I have looked at the link and the history of the name is very interesting. However having not found any Samuel Chadd anywhere I've looked so far (even just putting in Ch*) I wondered whether there may be a mistranscription of the Ch in old writing. Is there anywhere I can find how letters or words may have been written in the 17th century?

 

[SuzanneD]

Try here for online lessons in reading old handwriting.

 

[Tim]

Hi Sheelak,

I think you need to try searching without the "h". A "ch" in Welsh doesn't have the same pronunciation as in does in English.
Try Cad, Ceadd(a), Cedda, Ced etc.

 

[Tim]

Tim, I got so excited when I saw the link as I hoped it could help me, but would you believe it the surname I typed in hadn't been researched yet. Then I had a moment of brilliance, typed in one of the variations and lo and behold up came the information Thank you very much.

Excellent news, glad I could help

 

[peter]

The Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (which should be on every family historian's bookshelf) gives Ced, Cedda, Chad, Chadde, Chedde, Shedde, Ceadd and Ceadda.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

The Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (which should be on every family historian's bookshelf)

Ah but does it have Scottish Surnames, if it doesn't then it's not much use if 96% of your tree is from North East Scotland.