Family Origin
Family Name Origin
The origin and development of the name Child came from various possible application from the Old English pre 7th Century "Cild", (Medieval English "Child"), meaning "child". The letters “il” of the name Child is what denotes deity, holiness. Firstly, it was widely used as an affectionate term of address and as such appears as an Old English byname. Secondly, the word "child" was used as a term of status for a young man of noble birth. Thirdly, it was applied to a young nobleman awaiting knighthood, and finally it was used as a pet name for the youngest child in the family at the time of the parents death. The final "s" on the name represents the patronymic form. On June 14th 1677 Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Childs, was christened in Wandsworth, London.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Aluric Child, which was dated 1086, in the "Domesday Book for Essex", during the reign of King William 1, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. 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. The four primary sources from which a surname was derived are: occupation, location, father’s name or personal characteristics. The surname Child appears to be both occupational and patronymic (coming from a specific person) in origin.
Sources:
"Last name:Childe" SurnameDB, https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Childe. Accessed 1 November 2020.Vera Lenhart Childs, Arlean. History of the Childe Child Childs Family 1081-2006.Childs Family Publications, 2002.
Coat of Arms
There has been found in the American families three Coats of Arms for Child/Childs. One Coat has upon its field three does, and the motto "Imitari Quam Invidere." The other has three eagles, in the same position, with the same crest, and motto; the third is a variation of the second, in having in its center a small shield with a Marlette, which indicates the owner was the fourth son of the last house. If previous researchers had succeeded in establishing the line from which the American families are descended, we could without doubt know which coat of arms we are entitled.
Mr. Henry Child of Woodstock, CT., great grandfather of, Alias Child, author of the book, Genealogy of the Child, Childs, Childe Families in the United States and the Canadas from 1630-1881 built in the years 1761-62 a large and spacious house for his family. It was built on a main route of travel out in the country. He opened an Inn, and hung out for his Inn-sign a transcript of a coat of arms; this sign, in preservation, as of 1881 bore unmistakably the does, and an elderly relative, between the ages of eighty and ninety said that, "It was always called the family coat of arms, and the figures were meant for doves." A Rev. Dr. Willard Child found some years later, in the old homestead, a torn copy of a coat of arms, upon which the figures are evidently doves. In the eighteen hundreds, copies of a coat of arms had been found in several families and lines. In the Watertown branch, in the family of Ephraim Child, Jr. of Rutland, and West Boylston, MA, coat of arms was found, in the Barnstable branch in the family of Dr. Timothy Childs; and in a family of one of the southern branches. Among the descendants of an Edward and Margaret Weld Child were found two copies of a Coat of Arms alike in main points, but with some slight variations.
In Burke’s, General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, were found eighteen families of the name Childs with their arms, etc.; with eight the motto was given, and five had, "Imitari Quam Invideri.
In Berry’s, "Encyclopedia Heraldic and Dictionary of Heraldry," of eleven families of Child, we find one marked difference in the arms: of the larger number the Arms were red, with a chevron engrailed ermine, between three silver eagles. The Crest was a silver eagle, with its wings expanded or elevated wrapped up completely in a snake. The Motto was "Imitari Quam Invideri." This is the coat of arms that was accepted with large confidence as the Child/Childs Coat of Arms. It was described as: Shield - red in the groundwork, chevron white, engrailed black, ermine black, outlines of the shield gilt, eagles silver, the coils of the wreath alternate red and gilt, eagle silver, snake black.
Sir John Child had a Coat of Arms. From the book, Genealogy of the Child, Childs, Childe Families in the United States and the Canadas from 1630-1881, and from Halberts Historiography on a Childs Coat of Arms I found this information regarding a Coat of Arms for whom I believe belong to Sir John Child. The sources whom I consulted say, "This Coat of Arms was drawn by a heraldic artist from information officially recorded in ancient heraldic archives."
The Arms of Sir John Child is described as "Vert two bars engrailed, between three leopard’s faces. Crest, a leopard’s face or, between two laurel branches proper." Motto, "Spes Alit." It is not known when he took these Arms, but his baronetcy was conferred upon him in 1684 while he was a resident of the East Indies. He may then have adopted the leopard’s faces, as the Leopard was a frequent enemy, and some deed of bravery may easily have led to this assumption, always such arms were regarded as most honorable. His title became extinct in 1753 and his arms are not at present used by any of the name, or others placing his Arms with their own.
Around 1881 a Mr. Addison Child, gave a lot of thought and work in researching the matter of Arms. He was consulted and his work was accepted as the most accurate. The percentage of families bearing the arms with the eagles on the field is much larger, with an occasional exception; therefore, the coat of arms with the eagles was accepted with great confidence as the most accurate for the Child/Childs Family Coat of Arms. Each effort that was made in establishing a link between the American and English families has pointed very strongly towards a family bearing the eagles upon their arms, this Arms also indicates a kinship to Richard Child, father of Sir John and Sir Josiah Child our ancestors.
Sir Josiah’s Coat of Arms is described as such: Red, a chevron engrailed ermine, between three silver eagles. Crest, a silver eagle with its wings expanded, wrapped completely in a snake. "Motto" Imitari Quam Invidere.
Due to the fact that Sir Josiah Child’s Coat of Arms are like the Coat of Arms accepted as the Child/Childs family’s Coat of Arms is strong evidence that he is our ancestor.
It is interesting that Mr. Addison says the surname Child has never been written with the terminal "s" on any of the various Coats Of Arms.