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The surname "Chicken" seems to have originated in the North-East of England, particularly in Northumberland and Durham, with an out-cropping in London from the 16th Century. However, I have heard recently of one Roger Chickin who is mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls for Berkshire in the year 1212 A.D.
Consequently, much of the data about this surname is of necessity biased towards the mist-shrouded fells of Northumbria. However, the name spread outwards and south in the early and mid-19th Century, and the data I have gathered reflects that migration. I have only recently started looking at emigration from the UK, and would welcome any information about or links or connections to this surname from the USA, Canada, or Australasia.
Variants on the surname are CHICKING(s) or CHICKINGE,
CHICKIN or CHICKINS, and very occasionally CHECKIN.
The former are most often found in the early 17th and the 18th century
Parish Registers, but by the late 18th century the surname had stabilised
to the familiar CHICKEN. One family, originally from Cumberland
but latterly from Staffordshire, changed their surname to CHICKERING.
The actual origin of the original surname is at the moment a mystery.
- The major sources for my work are:
- Full extract from GRO Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths
1837 to 1946
- Full extract from the IGI for all "Chicken" Surnames in the UK
- Full extract from the published LDS 1881 Census Indexes
on CD-Rom
- Full extract of all "Chicken" surnames on the 1901
PRO Census Website
- Full extract from the National Probate Index 1858 to 1968
- Coverage of all published 1851 Census Indexes for Northumberland
& Durham, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, and
some for Cumberland, Middlesex and Surrey.
- Coverage of a large number of Parish Registers, particularly NE England (up to 1812 - still have gaps in period 1813 - 1837, but further coverage is in progress).
- Many Family Trees and correspondence from other Chicken Chasers,
including some in Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and the USA.
Click here for some - Specific Examples
- of Chicken Family Trees
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