Kitching

The surname Kitching is generally accepted as being of occupational origin.

It is quite an old surname, found -either directly or in the form of its derivatives - at early dates in the English counties of York, Oxford, Hereford, Lancaster, Derby, Middlesex, Hertford, Westmoreland, Durham, Somerset, and Norfolk, as well as in the city and vicinity of London. Derivatives and variations include:

Kychene, Kychen, Kychin, Kychine, Kytchen, Kytchin, Kytchinge, Kytching, Kytchings, Kechin, Kechen, Kechyn, Kechynge, Keching, Kytchynge, Kytchyng, Kytchyn, Kichynge, Kichyng, Kitchynge, Kichen, Kiching, Kitchyn, Kichin, Kitchins, Kitching, Ketchen, Ketchin, Cichim, Caitcheon, Kitcheon, Kitchin, Kitchens, Kitchen, and others.

Of all the variations listed, the most common spellings are Kitchen, Kitchin or Kitching.

The surname is said to be a shortened form of the old English surname of Kitchenman, which was derived from the occupation of its first bearers, who were employed in the great kitchens of the manor houses and castles.

It is thought that the name dates back to before the Norman Conquest, but Among the earliest records of the Kitchen family in England date back to 1235 in Lancashire. In about the year 1300, there are references to Henry atte Kychene and Richard del Kechin. It is about the same time that records of the family in Yorkshire appears, with references to Johannes (John) del Kechyn or Kychyn of Yorkshire.

By this time, the family were primarily yeomen - owners of free land valued at more than forty shillings. They probably resided in manorial villages and worked as stewards for the nobility. The ownership of this free land provided certain rights and freedoms that may not have been available to some of the other citizens of England at that time.

There are still significant numbers of Kitchin/Kitchen/Kitching families in the north of England, but many have emigrated. Some of the first settlers of this name or its variants to emigrate to the Americas were John Kitchen, who settled in Salem in 1630; Nicholas Kitchen settled in the Barbados in 1654; Joseph Kitchin settled in Virginia in 1635; John Kitchin settled in New England in 1635.

Coat of Arms
There are a number of Coats of Arms associated with the Kitchen family of England. The most ancient and frequently used is as follows:

ARMS - per chevron argent and sable, three water bougets counterchanged. CREST - is an arm in armour embowed, issuing from a cloud in the sinister, holding a sword, all proper.

In addition to the Kitchen Coat of Arms, there is also a Kitchin Coat, also belonging to the family. It is described as follows:

Kitchin of Meales, co. Lancaster, England ARMS:..Gules (red), a chevron paly of four Argent (silver) and Sable (black), between three bezants, each charged with a lapwing of the third (i.e., black). CREST:..N/A.
Kitchin of London ARMS:..Argent (silver), on a pile Azure (blue), between two crosses crosslet Gules (red), an eagle displayed of the field. CREST:..A pelican's head erased Azure (blue), beaked Or (gold), vulned Gules (red).

The above descriptions for the Coat of Arms may be referenced in the "Burke, General Armory, 1884".