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Chism History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Chism History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

In the ancient Scottish-English border region, the ancestors of the name Chism lived among the Boernicians. They lived in the Barony of Chisolm in the Parish of Roberton, Roxburghshire. The Gaelic form of the name is Siosalach and together the Clan is known as An Siosalach.

Early Origins of the Chism family

The surname Chism was first found in Roxburghshire, from the barony of Chisholm. One of the first times the name was listed was John de Chesehelme, in Roxburghshire in 1254. Robert de Chesholme was custodian of Urchard Castle in the 1300s. By the mid-14th century, much of the family had moved north: Robert de Chesholme appears as the sheriff of Inverness in 1359. Many feel that Robert was the founder of the Clan.

Early History of the Chism family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chism research. Another 188 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1176, 1486, 1527, 1561, 1564, 1593, 1629, 1647, 1684, 1715 and 1785 are included under the topic Early Chism History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chism Spelling Variations

Spelling rules only evolved in the last few centuries with the invention of the printing press and the first dictionaries. Spelling variations are extremely common in names from before that period. Chism has been spelled Chisholme, Chisum, Chissum, Chissolm, Chissholm, Chisolt, Chism, Chisholm, Chisham, Chiseholm, Chisam and many more.

Early Notables of the Chism family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was William Chisholm (d. 1564), Bishop of Dunblane, the second son of Edmund Chisholm of Cromlix, near Dunblane, a son of Chisholm of that Ilk in Rhoxburghshire and half-brother of James Chisholm, who was Bishop of Dunblane from 1486 to 1527, when he resigned his see, with the consent of Pope Clement VII and King James V, in favour of William Chisholm. William Chisholm was consecrated bishop at Stirling on 14 April 1527. 1 Another William Chisholm (d. 1593), was Bishop of Dunblane and Bishop of Vaison, a son of Chisholm of Cromlix...
Another 105 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chism Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chism Ranking

In the United States, the name Chism is the 4,181^st most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Chism family to Ireland

Some of the Chism 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.

Chism migration to the United States +

After making their great crossing, many Boernician-Scottish families settled along the east coast of North America. When the War of Independence broke out, United Empire Loyalists moved north to Canada while the rest stayed to fight. The ancestors of many of these Scots still populate the continent. This century, through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations, they began to rediscover their collective national heritage. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Chism or a variant listed above:

Chism Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Finley Chism, who landed in Virginia in 1776 3

Chism Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Chism, who settled in Philadelphia in 1840
J E Chism, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
J W Chism, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
N Chism, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1892
Martin Chism, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1893
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Chism Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Margaret Chism, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
Shirley D. Chism, aged 39, who landed in America, in 1911
Harry L. Chism, aged 36, who landed in America, in 1919
Wm. W. Chism, aged 21, who settled in America, in 1920
Edward Chism, aged 25, who settled in America from Ballyshannon, Ireland, in 1922
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chism (post 1700) +

Thomas Raymond "Tom" Chism (b. 1955), American former Major League Baseball player
Devon Dwayne Chism (b. 1987), American NBA basketball player
Sydney Chism, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Tennessee, 2000, 2008 4
John C. Chism, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County 1st District, 1868 4
Fred C. Chism, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Ashford, 1914, 1922 4
Charles D. Chism, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Ashford, 1906 4

The Chism 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 fiercest

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html