The English surname Chadwick is of local origin, deriving from the place where the original bearer either lived or held land. In this instance families bearing the surname may trace their roots to one of two towns by this name, one situated in the parish of Rochdale in Lancashire, another in the parish of Broms in Worcester. Owing however to the frequency with which the name can still be found in Lancashire, it would appear that the majority of families owe their nomenclature to the former of the two towns. The fact that the surname is recorded in Rochdale as early as the thirteenth century confirms this theory.
The name itself derives from the personal name Chad and the Old English word "wick" which meant "residence". Hence the name simply signifies "home of Chad". Chad being the original settler.
The name enjoys a long history in England with surviving records dating from the fourteenth century when one Nicholas de Chadwyke was registered as living in Lancashire at the time of Edward III (circa 1350). The additional prefix "de", meaning "of" or "from", placed before the name in many early instances confirm the locative origin of the surname.
The name boasts many notable bearers. Sir James Chadwick, the English physicist was born in 1891 and in 1935 he received the Nobel Prize for physics following his discovery of the neutron. He was knighted in 1945. Another notable bearer who deserves mention is Sir Edwin Chadwick (1800-1890) who worked tirelessly for social reform in Britain. His work led to the establishment of the Board of Health.

In 1822, the Parish of BATLEY contained:
"BATLEY, a parish-town, in Agbrigg division of Agbrigg and Morley, liberty of Pontefract; 21Ž2, miles from Dewsbury, 61Ž4 from Bradford, 8 S. of Leeds, 31 from York. Pop. 3,717. The Church is a vicarage, dedicated to All-Saints (see Churches for photograph), in the deanry of Pontefract, value, ~£16. 11s. 8d. p.r. £150. Patrons, Lords Wilton and Cardigan, alternately.

Batley, the field of Batt or Batta is a place of great antiquity. The church was granted to the Canons of St. Oswald of Nostal, and confirmed by Henry I. Not a vestige of the original structure remains, the whole having been rebuilt about the time of Henry VI. The north chapel of the choir belongs to Howley Hall. This church is adorned with several monuments of the Savilles, Fitzwilliams, Elands, Copleys, &c. --Loidis et Elmete. Here is a Free School, founded in the 10th year of James I. by the Rev. William Lee, Vicar of Stapleford, Cambridgeshire, who was a native of this place, for the purpose of teaching the children to read English, and write, also to instruct them in Latin. He endowed it with an estate, which he conveyed to certain Trustees in his lifetime. This School was handsomely rebuilt in 1818, out, of monies arising from the estate."

Townlands included in the Parish of Batley is as follows:
Batley Carr, Brown Hills ,Bruncliffe Thorn ,Carlinghow, Churwell, Gildersome, Havercroft, Healey, Holden Clough, Howley Hall, Morley, Purlwell Hall, Staincliffe Hall, Staincliffe Moor,Stump Cross,Upper Batley

"BATLEY CARR, in the township and parish of Batley, liberty of Wakefield; 1 mile from Dewsbury."

Camden supposes that the name of this place is derived from Dui, a local deity, of the Brigantes, for it resembles Duis Burgh in sound; and the town, he observes, has been considerable from the earliest date of Christianity, for a cross, which was to be seen here having this inscription: Paulinus hic praedicavit, et celebravit. This Paulinus, the Northumbrian apostle, was the first Archbishop of York, about the year 626. The learned Dr. Gale was of opinion, that this place received its name from some Roman auxiliaries of the 6th Legion, who had camps in many parts of this Riding."