Chatterton

Chatterton is a prominent British surname with roots dating back to medieval times. The name is derived from the Old English personal name "Ceafat," combined with the suffix "tun," meaning settlement or town. This suggests that Chatterton originally denoted a person who hailed from or resided in a settlement named after Ceafat.

The surname Chatterton has been found throughout various regions of Britain, with notable concentrations in areas such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, and London. Individuals bearing the Chatterton surname have made contributions to diverse fields including literature, politics, and the arts.

One of the most famous figures associated with the name Chatterton is the poet Thomas Chatterton (1752-1770). Known for his precocious talent, Thomas Chatterton gained posthumous recognition for his poetry and is celebrated as one of the early Romantic poets.

Over the centuries, the surname Chatterton has undergone variations in spelling such as Chattertone and Chatterten. This variability in spelling can be attributed to factors such as phonetic changes and regional dialects.

Today, the surname Chatterton continues to be borne by families across the United Kingdom and the wider world, symbolising a rich heritage connected to British history and culture.

There are approximately 2,767 people named Chatterton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,233rd most common surname in Britain. Around 42 in a million people in Britain are named Chatterton.

Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • Andrew
  • Christopher
  • David
  • James
  • John
  • Mark
  • Michael
  • Paul
  • Peter
  • Richard

Female

  • Claire
  • Emma
  • Helen
  • Janet
  • Laura
  • Lisa
  • Margaret
  • Michelle
  • Patricia
  • Rachel
  • Rebecca
  • Sarah
  • Susan
  • Victoria

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

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