Surname Chaplow - Meaning and Origin

Chaplow: What does the surname Chaplow mean?

The last name Chaplow is an English occupational surname originating from the region of the Midlands. The surname derives from the Middle English word ‘chaplwode’ meaning someone who lived near or often visited a chapel or place of worship, indicating that the original bearer of the name may have worked in a ministry or religious profession.

The name can be traced back to various spellings including ‘Chaplowe’ which appears in the Worcestershire, England, Subsidy Rolls of 1275. The Chaplow surname has diversified into different spellings, ranging from ‘Chapple’ to ‘Waplow’ in the present day. The original spelling is still in use today in certain parts of England.

The Chaplow family name has a long and expansive history, with the earliest records of the name in various regions of England. As with many surnames, the Chaplow name has been in many forms, and its spelling has been changed many times over its history. With the modernisation of English spelling, the Chaplow family name has diversified to its different spellings.

Overall, the Chaplow family name has a long and interesting history, illustrating the reader with a vivid glimpse into the evolution of the English language. The original bearer of the name Chaplow is likely to have been involved with a religious ministry, and the distribution of the Chaplow family name across various regions of England supports the idea that its bearer had strong ties to religion.

Chaplow: Where does the name Chaplow come from?

The last name Chaplow is most common today in England and Wales, where records indicate it is held by roughly 2,000 individuals. It first appears on record in the 12th century when its bearers lived in Staffordshire. It is a locational name derived from any of the three places in the counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire which were originally named "Chapeloe", meaning "chapel on the hill". It is believed to originate from the Old English word "ceap" meaning "market", combined with "hlaw", meaning "mound".

Today, descendents of the Chaplow line live all over the globe—from the United Kingdom to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Within the U.K., acts of emigration from England during the 19th century led many families of the Chaplow name to settle in the colonies of the British Empire, and some still remain in countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The highest density of people with the Chaplow name is in England today, making the Chaplow name most common there.

Variations of the surname Chaplow

The surname Chaplow is derived from the Old English words ‘chapel’ and ‘low’ and the Old Norman word ‘chaillou’, meaning a ‘rugged hill’, making it a topographical and locational surname. It can be spelled Chaplow, Chaplin, Chaplaine, Chaplain, Chapple or Chaplen.

Variants of the surname can include: Chapwell, Chapelle, Chapple, Chapele, Chappel, Chaplen, Chaplin, Chaplen, Chaplaine, Chaplain, and Chapple. These spellings have likely arisen over time due to differences in local dialects and pronunciation variations.

The most common variant of Chaplow is Chaplin. This spelling can be found in records dating back to the 13th century in Norfolk, where the Chaplin family lived before emigrating to North America in the 18th century. The Chaplow variant is primarily found in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries.

The surname Chapple is primarily found in Lancashire and is likely a variant of Chaplin. It is derived from the Old French word ‘chaplain’ and the diminutive ‘le’ and is related to the Old English word ‘ceap’ meaning a plural of ‘cheap’.

The French surnames of Chapel and Chapele are variants of the English surname Chaplow. Chapel is derived from the French ‘chappel’ meaning ‘little house’. The surname Chapele is also found in both France and England.

The surname Chapwell is an Anglicization of the Old French word ‘chappel’ meaning ‘little house’. It is another variant of the surname Chaplow and is primarily found in the United Kingdom and North America, although it has spread to other English-speaking countries.

In summary, the surnames Chaplow, Chaplin, Chaplaine, Chaplain, Chapple, Chapwell, Chapel, and Chapele all stem from the same Old English and Old French words and share the same topographical and locational origins.

Famous people with the name Chaplow

• Jesse Chaplow: an Australian professional footballer who is currently playing in the English Football League for Oldham Athletic.
• Chris Chaplow: a retired English cricketer who played for Worcestershire and Warwickshire.
• George Chaplow: a first-class English cricketer who played for Worcestershire
• Kenneth Chaplow: a former English footballer who played for Doncaster Rovers from 1959 to 1969
• Ben Chaplow: a British actor and filmmaker
• Phil Chaplow: a former England Under-21 international footballer
• Ellie Chaplow: a British actor, producer, and writer
• David Chaplow: a musician and one of the founding members of the London Symphony Orchestra
• Professor Paul Chaplow: an archaeologist and Professor Emeritus at University College London
• Andrew Chaplow: a British visual artist and academic

Other surnames

ChapleoChaplin