Surname Chilver - Meaning and Origin

Chilver: What does the surname Chilver mean?

The surname Chilver is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin and first found primarily in counties across England, including the county of Essex. It is also believed that the name Chilver was derived from the Olde English pre 7th century words “cel-fere,” which translates to “the cleaver” or “butcher.” Thus, the Chilver surname likely began as an occupational surname that designated someone who worked with meat as a butcher.

The use of occupational surnames, in general, became more popular during the Middle Ages as it became a means for individuals to be distinguished from one another what with population growth and limited resources. People began to adopt surnames to more easily differentiate themselves or their occupations from others, and so it is likely that the first bearers of the Chilver surname likely worked as butchers.

The Chilver surname is also quite ancient, appearing in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The Hundredorum Rolls is an important historical record that documents the names of more than 70,000 individuals living in England during this time period. The Chilver surname is also on record in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, which is a taxation document of the 12th and 13th centuries.

Beyond the brief historical records, the surname Chilver is often seen throughout the United Kingdom. The name is common in areas of South East England, such as Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire. While the surname Chilver has existed for centuries, it is still found today, and is not considered to be a rare name.

Chilver: Where does the name Chilver come from?

The surname Chilver is a relatively uncommon name, which is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

In the UK, the surname Chilver is found mainly in the English counties of Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire. It is also found in the counties of Bedfordshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk in England. In Scotland, the name is present but sparsely so. In Wales, the name is quite rare.

In Ireland, the Chilver surname is most common in the northeast of the country, in counties Louth, Meath, Dublin, and Monaghan. Leinster is another region where the surname is found.

In other parts of the world, the surname is present but sparsely so. It is present in Canada, the United States, and Australia and New Zealand, but the number of people with the surname is comparatively small.

The etymology of the name Chilver is believed to derive from the Old English word “ceorl”, which means “male” and “child”. It is a relatively rare name, but there are still some people who carry the name today.

Variations of the surname Chilver

The surname Chilver is of English origin and means someone who works with tin. Variants of the Chilver surname include Chilvers, Chilvers, Chillvers, Chilvors, Chylvers, and Shilvers. It is also spelled Chilverrs, Chilver, Chylvers, Chilvris, Chylver, Chylvris, Shilvris, and Shilverrs.

Surnames of the same origin as Chilver include Chilcott, Chillcote, Chille, Chilman, Chilsom, Chilvers, Shilvors, and Shilvers. Many of these surnames are derived from the same Old English elements, such as ceol (col, cooler, chile) and feorh (fir, far).

Other surnames with similar spellings or origins to Chilver include Chimber, Chillbeck, Chille, Chillery, Chimo, Chimney, Chissom, Clopper, Shimmer, Shilke, and Trundle. These all derive from place names located in England, such as the village of Chimber in Wiltshire and the towns of Chillcote, Chille, and Chiery in Oxfordshire.

In summary, Chilver is a surname of English origin related to the working of tin. Variants and spellings of the surname include Chilvers, Chilvors, Shilvers, Chilcott, and Chillcote. Other surnames with related spellings or origins are Chimber, Chillbeck, Chillery, Chimo, Chimney, Chissom, Clopper, Shimmer, Shilke, and Trundle.

Famous people with the name Chilver

• Alexander Chilver (1916-2018): a British soldier, politician and academic.
• Sir Edmund Chilver (1875-1950): an English soldier, politician, and diplomat.
• Iain Chilver (1947-): an English animal painter and illustrator.
• Mark Chilver (1962-): an English author and journalist.
• Thomas Chilver (1793-1860): an English artist, particularly known for his portrait drawings.
• Sir Edward Chilver (1807-1894): a British civil servant and railway manager.
• William Chilver (1756-1817): a British portrait miniature painter.
• Thomas Chilver (1845-1934): an internationally noted English engineer and inventor.
• Keith Chilver (1960-): a British journalist and author of non-fiction works on business and communication.
• Bart Chilver (1972-): a British writer, poet, and lecturer.

Other surnames

Chilvers