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Last updated July 14, 2014|
Ralf deChesnay is identified in the Domesday Book (1086). He lived in Sussex and Norfolk
where he held fourteen knights' inherited estates and manors (approximately 11,200 acres) under
William de Warenne, a son-in-law of the King, William the Conqueror. Ether Ralf de Chesnay
I or his father must have distinguished himself at the Battle of Hastings or have been a very
important owner--tenant of William de Warenne, or another of William the Conqueror's overlords
in Normandy or Brittany, before coming to England, to have shared so abundantly in the spoils
of war. Ralf de Chesnay I married Maud de Waterville. They had three children: Ralf II,
who was the ancestor of the Cheney's of Shurland; Roger, who preceded the Cheney s of Oxffordshire
and West Sussex and Sybil, ancestor of short-lived branch of the Cheney s at Norfolk. The History of the Cheney family in Europe This section is based upon material extracted by Oakley William Cheney (abt 1912) from Stanley Charles Wyatt's 1959 book Titled "Cheney's and Wyatt's". The book was published in England by Carey and Claridge, Chelesa, S.W. 3. Wyatt cites the Library of Society of Genealogists and the Public Records office of England as his sources of the following information. The Cheney family can be traced back to Ralf de Cheney 1 who probably moved to England from Normandy in 1066 to fight at the "Battle of Hastings" with the army of William Duke of Normandy. After the victory of Hastings, William crowned himself King of England thus becoming known as William the Conqueror. Much of the land in England was confiscated from owners who opposed the Conqueror. Its ownership was wither assumed by the Crown oir redistributed to the more important of the King's followers. The others simply lived and worked on the land and were dependent upon the owners for their livelihood. By 1086 , William the Conqueror had consolidated his position sufficiently to conduct a survey of all the areas that were under his control to determine who owned the land and property. The survey was made by sending the King's officers to each shire (county) to conduct hearings with the results being sent back to the King. A local jury composed of five Normans and five Englishman decided each issue where claims of ownership were disputed. The findings were recorded in a "Domesday Book," so called because appeal of the jury's decision was not permitted. The Domesday record continues to be used today in England as a basis for determining hereditary rights. The Domesday Book and all subsequent records concerning property transfers are helpful in tracing ancestors. The Cheney name, sometimes spelled Chensnay, Chenie, Cheyne, Cheyney,, etc., appears in these Records as land owners back to the days of William the Conqueror. The Cheney name is prominent in the public records of England. They served to numerous important civil and military capacities, and were particularly prominent as Knights of Parliament and High Sheriffs (County officials). At least forty different Cheney's served as members of Parliament over a period of five centuries. Between 1146 and 1860, more than thirty Cheneys served as High sheriffs, some more than once, in fifteen different counties. Authorities do not agree regarding the place in Normandy or Brittany from which the Cheney ancestors came. They probably came from LeQuesnay, near St. Saens, from another Quesnay in Brittany, or form a village called Cheneduit in the Orne in Normandy where their neighbors may have been tenants of the de Sayes. The Cheneys became linked with he de Sayes by marriage in the late 1100's. Between 1066 and 1086 (Hastings to Domesday), families which were to evolve into Cheye, Cheyney or Cheney were owner-tenants in England of three for the King's overlords; Robert, Count de Mortain (the King's half brother) William de Warenne ( King's son-in-law), and William de Saye (relationship unknown). They probably enjoyed the same relationships with these overlords in Normandy prior to 1086. Prominent families in ancient times bore hereditary Coats of Arms, and sometimes modified them to reflect other family connections. These also provided some basis for tracing family lines. The most ancient Cheney Arms was " Ermine on the bend Sable three martlets Or," (black and white except for gold martins). A reproduction of the Cheney Coat of Arms shown in this book. Abbreviations proceeding dates have the following meanings: eb-estimated born; b- born;d- died; and ob- obituary. Abbreviations are not used when the exact dates are known |