Chaloner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Scotland

The surname Chaloner 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 Chaloner family

The surname Chaloner 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 Chaloner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chaloner 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 Chaloner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chaloner Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Chaloner has occasionally been spelled Chaloner, Challener, Challenor, Challinor, Chalener, Chalenor, Challoner, Chalinor, Challon, Challin, Challen, Chalen, Chalin and many more.

Early Notables of the Chaloner family

Prominent 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...
On the infamous side, William Chaloner (c.1650-1699) was a serial offender counterfeit coiner and confidence trickster, who was imprisoned in Newgate Prison several times and eventually proven guilty...
? Chaloner (d. 1643), was "a chief actor in Edmund Waller's plot of 1643, is described in contemporary accounts as 'an eminent citizen' and linendraper of London. He lived in Cornhill, near the Royal...

Chaloner migration to the United States +

The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Chaloner:

Chaloner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Morris Chaloner, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 4

Chaloner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mrs. T. Chaloner, aged 36, who arrived in America, in 1893
Mary Chaloner, aged 31, who arrived in America, in 1897

Chaloner Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Walter Chaloner, aged 40, who arrived in America, in 1905
Samuel Chaloner, aged 39, who arrived in America from Farndar, England, in 1907
Sydney Chaloner, aged 45, who arrived in America from Manchester, England, in 1907
Joseph Chaloner, aged 29, who arrived in America from Farndar, England, in 1907
Isabel Chaloner, aged 22, who arrived in America from Blackburn, England, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chaloner (post 1700) +

Mr. John Chaloner, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1451 to 1452
William Gilbert Chaloner FRS (1928-2016), British palaeobotanist, Professor of Botany at Royal Holloway, University of London
Richard Godolphin Walmesley Chaloner (1856-1938), 1st Baron Gisborough, born Richard Godolphin Walmesley Long, a British soldier and politician
Thomas Weston Peel Long Chaloner (1889-1951), 2nd Baron Gisborough, an English landowner, soldier and peer
Gary Chaloner (b. 1963), Australian comic book artist and writer for Marvel Comics, DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics
John Chaloner Alabaster (1930-2024), New Zealand cricketer who played 21 Test matches for the country's national team between 1955 and 1972
Sir William Chaloner Burnaby (1746-1794), 2nd Baronet
Chaloner Grenville Alabaster (1930-1941), son of Chaloner Grenville Alabaster, Attorney General of Hong Kong
Chaloner Grenville Alabaster (1838-1898), English administrator in China, Consul General at Hankow, Wuhan (1880 to 1886)
Sir Chaloner Ogle (1726-1816), 1st Baronet, British Admiral

Citations +

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)
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)