This interesting name is a Norman French introduction, after the 1066 Invasion and is a descriptive, patronymic nickname. The original development is from "Calrus" - a latin word menaing, "Bald", through the French, "Chauf" plus "in" - a variaint of "kin" meaning - son, i.e. 'The son of the Bald One'. The name development included Richard Caffyn 1327, The Pipe Rolls of Sussex, and later Thomas Chafyn, The Register of Oxford University in 1505. the modern spellngs are Chaffin, Chaffen, Chavrin, Caffin and Caffyn, although all are relatively rare. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Chaufin. which was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls of Nottingham". during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.