| ![Show Contents]() Challender History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The surname Challender is derived from the Old English word "chaloun," which means "blanket." This word comes from the place named Châlons-sur-Marne, a prosperous industrial center in Europe, where these items were produced. 1 The name is thought to have been occupational a chaloner,' a manufacturer or seller of chalons, woollen stuffs, especially coverlets or blankets. 2 "In his owen chambre he made a bedde with shetes, and with chalons fair yspredde," Chaucer, Reve's Tale. Early Origins of the Challender familyThe surname Challender was first found in Powys (Welsh: Powys), a Welsh Kingdom in post-Roman times, now a county of Wales created by joining the former counties of Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, and Breconshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. By the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the name was scattered: Geoffrey le Chaloner, Essex; Thomas le Chalunner, Cambridgeshire; and Nicholas le Chalouner, Derbyshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Elilabetha Chaloner, 1379; Ricardus Schaloner, coverht-wever; Adam Chalonar, coverlid-uvfer. The last two entries are very interesting, connecting as they do the name with the trade. 2 Years later in Scotland, Robert Chalonar held a tenement in Linlithow in 1472 and John Chalonare was a witness there in the same year. 3 Early History of the Challender familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Challender research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1472, 1521, 1558, 1559, 1565, 1595, 1615, 1643, 1650, 1661, 1691, 1699 and 1781 are included under the topic Early Challender History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Challender Spelling VariationsThe Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Challender have included Chaloner, Challener, Challenor, Challinor, Chalener, Chalenor, Challoner, Chalinor, Challon, Challin, Challen, Chalen, Chalin and many more. Early Notables of the Challender familyProminent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir Thomas Chaloner (1521-1565), an English statesman and poet, eldest son of Roger Chaloner, citizen and mercer of London, a member of an old Welsh family; Rev. Edward Chaloner, Chaplain to Charles I; Sir Thomas Chaloner (1559-1615), an English naturalist who introduced alum manufacturing to England; and Thomas Chaloner (1595-1661), an English politician, commissioner at the trial of Charles I and signatory to his death warrant.Richard Challoner (1691-1781), was a Catholic prelate, son of Richard Challoner, a wine cooper at Lewes in Sussex. "Soon afterwards the father died, leaving his young...
Another 294 words (21 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Challender Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Challender familyNorth America in the 1800s and 1900s saw the arrival of many Welsh people hoping to share in the wealth of land, work, and freedom that they felt North America held. Those who made the journey often attained those expectations, but only through an enormous amount of hard work, perseverance, and often a bout of good luck. These immigrants helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and culture of both Canada and the United States. Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Challender: Robert Challener who settled in Barbados in 1679 with his wife and servants; Thomas Challenor settled in Jamaica in 1684; Alexander Challinor settled in Virginia in 1698.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Challender (post 1700) | + |
- Megan Challender, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kansas, 2004 4
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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