Recorded as Chatterton, Chaterton, Chaderton and probably Chattington, this most interesting surname is of English origin. It is locational and originates either from the locality of Chatterton in the county of Middlesex, or from the village of Chadderton in the county of Lancashire, or possibly from a now 'lost' medieval village of which the only surviving public memorial is the surname itself. Chadderton in Lancashire was first recorded as "Chaderton" in the Coucher Book of Whalley Abbey, in the year 1201 and later as "Chaterton" in the Patent Rollls of 1224. The placename is composed of the initial element "cader", an early Welsh word for "hill fort", and the Olde English element "tun", meaning a village, enclosure. The other similar place names would seem to have a similar origin and meaning. Early examples of the surname recordings include George Chatterton who was christened on January 28th, 1542 at Middleton by Oldham, Lancashire and Catherine Chaderton was christened on April 12th 1558 at St. Mary's, Oldham. William Chadderton married Katheryn Revell at St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, London on June 27th, 1569, whilst Thomas Chattington and his wife Sarah were christening witnesses at St Giles Cripplegate, also in the city of London, on December 8th 1732. 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.