Cherrett and Gerrard in Dorset

Contents

• Introduction
• Origins of the name
• Variants of the name
• Sarah Cherrett
• John Cherrett/Gerrard
• Isaac Cherrett/Gerrard
• Acknowledgement
• Browser compatibility statement
• Main links to other pages on this site

Introduction

The genealogical data in these pages is accurate to the best of my current (at the time of writing) knowledge. This means it is of very variable reliability, since sources at one extreme are 100% certain (e.g. I know who I married, where and when, and the identity of my parents) to the mere rumour level, such as LDS data extracted from the IGI and Ancestral File, and reminiscences of elderly relatives, some now deceased. Anyone wishing to make any use whatever of this information is therefore strongly advised to contact me for source details.

Origins of the name

However, Adrian Cherrett in an email advises me: "I have always been told that Cherrett comes from 'cheeswright' but that in itself it is not connected to the manufacture of cheese.

"It is in fact a stone mason, specifically carving the 'cheese stones' that sit upon the little stone pyramids. These in turn are the foundations to grain houses, to raise them off damp ground and to deter vermin from climbing them."

The same book mentioned defines the name WRIGHT as a "common occupational name for a maker of machinery or objects", which would seem to support Adrian's point.

The surname GERRARD is derived from two similar (and related) personal names, both of Germanic origin but introduced to Britain by the Normans. These are:

• Gerard, composed of the Germanic elements Geri or Gari, meaning 'spear', and hard meaning hardy, brave or strong.
• Gerald, composed of the Germanic elements Geri or Gari, meaning 'spear', and wald meaning rule (i.e. Gerald means 'spear ruler').

Variants of the name

• Variants of CHERRETT
  Cheasman, Cheese, Cheeseman, Cheeseright, Cheesewright, Cheesman, Cheeswright, Cherritt, Cheseman, Chesman, Chesswright and Cheswright are the variants given in Hanks & Hodges A Dictionary of Surnames, but I have seen my own ancestor's name spelled as Jerrett in one census and Gerrett in the next, with Gerrard as another form in an earlier parish register. Hanks & Hodges give all three of these as variants of Garrett. Another is variously spelled as Cherrett, Gerrett, Jerrett and Jerrit, and his daughter in one case as Gerard, with most of those variations in the same parish register. My ancestors changed from GERRARD to CHERRETT at some point, so the former's origins is more relevant to me.
• Variants of GERRARD
  Hanks & Hodges A Dictionary of Surnames give Garard, Garrad, Garrard, Garratt, Garred, Garrett, Garrit, Garrod, Garrould, Gerald, Gerard, Geratt, Gerold, Gerrad, Gerred, Gerrett, Jarad, Jared, Jarrard, Jarratt, Jarred, Jarrett, Jarritt, Jarrod, Jarrold, Jarrott, Jereatt, Jerrard, Jerratt, Jerred, Jerrold.

Sarah CHERRETT

The 1851 census shows her living in Tarrant Crawford with her widowed mother, an older sister and three children, all grandchildren of Sarah's mother (an eight-year old boy and two five-year old girls). Sarah is described as "Employed on farm labour". All this family except Sarah are still shown together in the 1861 census. The parish register baptisms show they were the illegitimate children of Sarah's sister Hannah.

On 20th August 1854 Sarah married Frederick ADAMS in Tarrant Crawford Parish Church. Both parties signed with a cross. Sarah was described as a spinster, her age was given as "full", meaning over 21, as was the groom's, although the following census shows she was about 13 years older than him. Her "Rank or profession" was left blank, while he and both their fathers were said to be labourers.

The 1861 census shows the couple living next door to Sarah's mother at "Tarrant Abbey, Tarrant Crawford" with their two children Jane, 6, and John, 4, both "scholars". It reveals that Frederick (here named Fred) was born in "Winterbourne Zelstone".

John CHERRETT/GERRARD

The couple had five children baptised at Tarrant Crawford:
Isaac on 18th October 1818;
Sarah on 15th April 1821;
Mary on 2nd March 1823;
Charles on 4th September 1825 (his burial is recorded on 26th October 1827);
Charles Henry on 21st July 1832.

Ann's burial is recorded in the register on 3rd March 1868, at age 79.

Isaac CHERRETT/GERRARD

Isaac had a number of employments in various Dorset places in his younger days, as well as "two summers and one winter" serving on a ship trading between Poole and Newfoundland, under a Captain Street.

Following Margaret's death (she was buried at Tarrant Crawford on 6th August 1813 aged 45) Isaac married Ann GOVER at Tarrant Crawford on 23rd April 1816. He was buried at Tarrant Crawford on 24th June 1836.

Robert CHERRETT/GERRARD

Acknowledgement