Chess History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Chess

What does the name Chess mean?

The name Chess is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a cheese-maker or seller of cheese. The surname Chess is derived from the Old English word cese and the West Saxon word cyse, which both mean cheese. 1 Occupational names frequently refer to the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. These types of occupational surnames are called metonymic surnames. The surname Chess belongs to this class of names. So as to underline this point, we found Walter le cheser listed in Herefordshire in 1366. 1

Early Origins of the Chess family

The surname Chess was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where John Chese, Norfolk; and Hamo Chese, Salop (Shropshire) are listed. 2

Eluding to the possible Norman origin of the name one source notes that the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists John Fromage of Normandy, 1195 and that the Hundredorum Rolls of c. 1272 includes an entry for Peter Fromage of England. This same source notes that entries after this point change from French "fromage" to the English term "cheese." 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include: Ricardus Chese; and Thomas Chese. 2

Early History of the Chess family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chess research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1279, 1332, 1366, 1379, 1500, 1597, 1771 and 1808 are included under the topic Early Chess History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chess Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Chess include Cheese, Chese, Chuse, Chouse, Cheser, Chesse and others.

Early Notables of the Chess family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chess Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chess Ranking

In the United States, the name Chess is the 12,250^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Chess migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Chess Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Chess, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1807 5
John Chess, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 5
William Chess, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 5
James Chess, aged 24, Scottish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "New York" in 1837 6
Pat Chess, aged 20, Irish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Centurion" in 1849 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chess (post 1700) +

Stella Chess (1914-2007), American child psychiatrist who taught at New York University (NYU)
Stanley Chess, American legal commentator
Richard B. Chess (1913-1982), American politician, Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1979-1980)
Richard Chess (b. 1953), American poet from Los Angeles
Mary Chess (b. 1878), early American entrepreneur and perfumer from Louisville, Kentucky, eponym of business Mary Chess
Marshall Chess (b. 1942), American record producer, son of Leonard Chess
Lisa Chess, American actress, known for her roles in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Hollow
Leonard Chess (1917-1969), Polish-American record company executive and the co-founder of Chess Records
Jamar Chess (b. 1980), American music manager, son of Robin and Marshall Chess
Philip "Phil" Chess (1921-2016), born Fiszel Czyz, Polish-born, American record producer and company executive, co-founder with his brother of Chess Records

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result