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Show ContentsChalmers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The name Chalmers is derived from the old French word "cha(u)mbre," meaning "chamber," and is thought to have originally been an occupational name for someone who worked in the private living quarters of the aristocracy.

Early Origins of the Chalmers family

The surname Chalmers was first found in Denbighshire where they held lands at Llewenne, granted to John de Chambre from the Earl of Lincoln, who was Constable of Chester. John was a "nobelle Normanne who entred Englaunde in ye traine of King Williaume." 1

"We also find Chalmer in Suffolk and Worcester in the 13th century: Roger le Chalmere in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1255; and Ralph le Chalmer in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275." 2

More often than not, the singular form of the name was in use in early days. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Walter de la Chaumbre, Lincolnshire; and Henry de la Chambre, Lincolnshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Robertas del Chaumbire; Johannes del Chaumbir; Alicia Chaumbir, maydyne; and Willelimus del Chaumbir. 3

John A Chamber or Chamberlayne (d. 1489), the English rebel, "a knight of great influence in the north, excited the people to join the rebellion headed by Sir John Egremond in Northumberland and Durham against the heavy subsidy of 1489. Henry, earl of Northumberland, who had orders to enforce the tax, endeavoured to persuade him to cease his agitation. Chamber would not hear him, and on 20 April the earl was slain by the rebels at Cock Lodge, near Thirsk. Then Thomas, earl of Surrey, was sent to put down the insurrection. He took Chamber and utterly routed the rebels. Chamber was executed at York 'in great state,' being hanged on 'a gibbet set on a square pair of gallows 'with his chief accomplices hanging 'upon the lower story round about him.' " 4

Early History of the Chalmers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chalmers research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1219, 1240, 1296, 1351, 1472, 1528, 1546, 1556, 1560, 1569, 1571, 1582, 1583, 1588, 1592, 1593, 1604, 1609, 1624, 1628, 1633, 1658, 1726, 1775, 1796 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Chalmers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chalmers Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Chambers, Chalmers, Chamer, Chalmairs, Challmers and others.

Early Notables of the Chalmers family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Chambers (d. 1556), the last abbot and the first Bishop of Peterborough, born at Peterborough. "He became a monk in the great Benedictine abbey of that place, and eventually elected its abbot in 1528. " 4 Robert Chambers (1571-1624?), was a Catholic divine, a native of Yorkshire, and arrived as a boy at the English college at Rheims in December 1582. 4 Sabine Chambers (1560?-1633), was a Jesuit, born in Leicestershire in or about 1560, and entered Broadgates Hall, Oxford, where he took the degrees in arts, that of master being completed in 1583...
Another 144 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chalmers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chalmers World Ranking

In the United States, the name Chalmers is the 3,784th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in Australia, the name Chalmers is ranked the 661st most popular surname with an estimated 5,921 people with that name. 6 And in New Zealand, the name Chalmers is the 593rd popular surname with an estimated 1,211 people with that name. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Chalmers as 825th with 8,216 people. 8

Ireland Migration of the Chalmers family to Ireland

Some of the Chalmers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 318 words (23 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Chalmers migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Chalmers or a variant listed above:

Chalmers Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Marion Chalmers, who arrived in Perth Amboy, NJ in 1685 9
Chalmers Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Stephen Chalmers, who settled in New Jersey in 1713
  • Patrick Chalmers, who arrived in Virginia in 1716 9
  • John Chalmers, who arrived in New York in 1785 9
Chalmers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Chalmers, who arrived in New York in 1801 9
  • Mathew Chalmers, who landed in New York in 1803 9
  • James Chalmers, who landed in New York in 1810 9
  • Stewart Chalmers, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1812 9
  • Mr. Horatio J. Chalmers, (b. 1811), aged 38, English planter traveling aboard the ship "Thomas Wattson" arriving in Philadelphia in 1849 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Chalmers migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chalmers Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Lt. Col. James Chalmers U.E. who settled in New Brunswick c. 1783 11
Chalmers Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Isabella Chalmers, aged 60, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • Christian Chalmers, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • Nancy Chalmers, aged 13, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834

Australia Chalmers migration to Australia +

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

Chalmers Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Chalmers, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • Miss Mary Chalmers, (Rennie, Mary Ann), Scottish Convict who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
  • Mr. William Chalmers, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 28th July 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
  • Christina Chalmers, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Duke of Bedford" in 1848 15
  • James Chalmers, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cromwell" in 1849 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Chalmers 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:

Chalmers Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Chalmers, aged 31, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Isabella Chalmers, aged 29, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Alexander Chalmers, aged 9, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Janet Chalmers, aged 2, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Elizabeth Chalmers, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chalmers (post 1700) +

  • William Wallace Chalmers (1861-1944), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio 9th District, 1921-23, 1925-31; Defeated, 1922 17
  • William Chalmers, American Republican politician, Chair of Warren County Republican Party, 1925-27 17
  • Thomas Chalmers, American politician, Member of New Hampshire State Senate 17th District, 1913-14 17
  • Rod Chalmers, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1940 17
  • Robert Chalmers, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 15th District, 1871-73 17
  • Joseph Williams Chalmers (1807-1853), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Senator from Mississippi, 1845-47 17
  • John Gordon Chalmers (1803-1847), American politician, Member of Virginia State Legislature; Texas Republic Secretary of the Treasury, 1841 17
  • James Ronald Chalmers (1831-1898), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Mississippi, 1852; Delegate to Mississippi Secession Convention, 1861 17
  • Hugh Chalmers (1876-1928), American politician, Member of Arkansas State House of Representatives, 1921-24; Member of Arkansas State Senate 32nd District, 1927-28 17
  • Doug Chalmers, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 2008 17
  • ... (Another 20 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. David Chalmers, British Lead Writer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 18
RMS Lusitania
  • Mrs. Blanche Chalmers, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 19
  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  7. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  8. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  9. 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)
  10. Barbados archives retrieved 2nd November 2021 from https://attheBarbadosarchives.wordpress.com/2003/07/18/Barbados-heritage-passenger-lists-and-Barbados-departures/
  11. 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
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atwick
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
  15. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DUKE OF BEDFORD 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848DukeofBedford.htm
  16. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CROMWELL 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Cromwell.htm
  17. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  18. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  19. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
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