Show ContentsChisholm History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Chisholm family

The surname Chisholm was first found in Roxburghshire 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.

Early History of the Chisholm family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chisholm research. Another 174 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1176 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Chisholm History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chisholm Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Chisholm, Chissolm, Chisham, Chisholme, Chism, Chisolm, Chisolt, Chissum and many more.

Early Notables of the Chisholm family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • MacIan Chisholm of Culloden

Chisholm World Ranking

In the United States, the name Chisholm is the 2,773rd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Chisholm is ranked the 732nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,311 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Chisholm is the 677th popular surname with an estimated 1,049 people with that name. 3

Ireland Migration of the Chisholm family to Ireland

Some of the Chisholm family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Chisholm migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chisholm Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Adam Chisholm, who landed in Virginia in 1716 4
  • Alexander Chisholm, who landed in America in 1717 4
  • Jean Chisholm, who arrived in New York in 1773 4
  • Hugh Chisholm, who arrived in America in 1774 4
  • John Chisholm, who landed in Albany, NY in 1776 4
Chisholm Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Malcolm Chisholm, who arrived in Texas in 1841 4
  • Walter Chisholm, who arrived in New York, NY in 1843 4
  • Donald Chisholm, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1877 4

Canada Chisholm migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chisholm Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Archibald Chisholm, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1773
  • Mr. George Chisholm U.E. (b. 1752) born in Inverness, Scotland from Kortright Township, New York, USA who settled in Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia c. 1782 resettled in Niagara, [Fort Erie] in c. 1791 then Burlinton Bay he enlisted in 1777 joined the King's Royal Regiment of New York with Captain John MacDonell, then Captain Normand Tolmie Highland Volunteer Regiment in 1778, married to Barbara MacKenzie they had 9 children he died in Burlington, Ontario 5
  • Mr. George Chisholm U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 5
  • Mr. Hugh Chisholm U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 5
  • Mr. James Chisholm U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 451 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Chisholm Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Duncan Chisholm, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
  • Duncan Chisholm, aged 14, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
  • Ewen Chisholm, aged 2, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
  • Flora Chisholm, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
  • Helen Chisholm, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Chisholm migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Chisholm Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Murdock Chisholm, (Murday), (b. 1807), aged 15, Scottish shoe maker who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
  • William Chisholm, a cabinet-maker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Mr. David Chisholm, (b. 1809), aged 19, Scottish sawyer who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years for assault, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1862 7
  • Mr. James Chisholm, (b. 1816), aged 18, Welsh convict who was convicted in Glamorganshire, Wales for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
  • Miss Catharine Chisholm, (Hall), Scottish Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Chisholm migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Chisholm Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Adam Chisholm, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • Adam Chisholm, aged 30, a shepherd, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Mr. Adam Chisholm, (b. 1810), aged 30, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 25th January 1841 9
  • A. Chisholm, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Palmyra" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 19th February 1858 9
  • Mr. Duncan Chisholm, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Tamar" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th January 1858 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chisholm (post 1700) +

  • Anthony Chisholm (1943-2020), American Tony award nominated actor
  • Roderick Milton Chisholm (1916-1999), American philosopher and Professor at Brown University
  • Julius J. Chisholm, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Cayuga County 1st District, 1900 10
  • Jim Chisholm, American politician, Candidate for justice of Texas State Supreme Court, 2012 10
  • Jeannette C. Chisholm, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1932 10
  • Hugh Chisholm (b. 1855), American politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Gratiot County, 1891-92 10
  • Elijah H. Chisholm, American politician, Member of Massachusetts State House of Representatives from New Bedford; Elected 1865 10
  • Diane L. Chisholm, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Texas State House of Representatives 64th District, 2010 10
  • David B. Chisholm, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Mayor of Mamaroneck, New York, 1957 10
  • Mrs. Charles P. Chisholm, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1964 10
  • ... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Grover Shoe factory
  • Mrs. Chisholm, American employee of the Grover Shoe factory in Brockton, Massachusetts on 20th March 1905 when the boiler exploded and collapsed the wooden building; she survived 11
Halifax Explosion
  • Mrs. Catherine  Chisholm (1899-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Robert Daniel Fletcher Chisholm, English Second Steward from New Brighton, Cheshire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 13
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Roderick Robert Crispin Chisholm (d. 1912), aged 40, Irish Draughtsman from Belfast, Ireland who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 14
  • Mr. Roderick Robert Crispin Chisholm (d. 1912), aged 40, Irish First Class passenger from Belfast, Ireland who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 14


The Chisholm Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Feros ferio
Motto Translation: I am fierce with the fierce.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
  8. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atwick
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  11. California Digital Newspaper from 21st March 1905 (retrieved on 5th August 2021.) Retrieved from https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19050321.2.19&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1
  12. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  13. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  14. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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