| ValeurThis unusual and interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname, found chiefly in the south eastern counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex, from the place called Chiddingstone in Kent, situated between Edenbridge and Tonbridge. The placename is recorded as 'Cidingstane' circa 1110, as 'Chidingstan' in the Kent Charter Rolls of 1263, and as 'Chuddingestone' in the Episcopal Registers of 1284. The name means 'the stone of Cidd's people', derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name 'Cidd(a)', of obscure origins, with the suffix '-ing(as)', people, tribe of, and 'stan', stone. Interestingly, a number of placenames in the neighbouring counties of Surrey and Sussex share the same first element: Chiddingfold (Surrey), 'the fold of Cidd(a)'s people', and Chiddingly (Sussex), 'the wood of Cidd(a)'s or Citta's people'. In this instance, the surname forms range from Chiddington, Chittington and Chiddenden, to Quittington, Quiddington, Quiddingden and Quittendon. None of the modern forms retain the 's' of the original, and forms with 'Chitt' or 'Chidd' are very rare; this is thought to be a result of local pronunciation of the placename. The marriage of Margaret Quiddington and John Weeckes was recorded in Westerham, Kent, on February 10th 1564, and Richard, son of William Quiddington, was christened in Limpsfield, Surrey, on March 8th 1587. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margarette Quittenton, which was dated December 20th 1542, marriage to John Crowcher, at Hayes, in Kent, during the reign of King Henry V111, known as 'Bluff King Hal', 1509 - 1547. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to 'develop' often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. |