Chanceler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The Hebrides islands and Western coastal mountains of Scotland were once part of the ancient kingdom of Dalriada. The name Chanceler was born there, as a nickname for a person who performed the duties of a Chancellor, or behaved in an authoritative manner. This surname is a nickname, which derives from the Anglo-Norman-French word c(h)ancelier, which was the name of an administrative position. Typically, this surname was given to someone who held this position.

Early Origins of the Chanceler family

The surname Chanceler was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. There is early record of a composer Philippe Le Chancelier (c.1165-1236).

"From the office of 'chancellor,' either civil or ecclesiastical; an official who kept registers of an order of knighthood, an ecclesiastical judge. An ancient family of this name in Lanarkshire were vassals of the lords of Somerville before 1432. " 1

Further to the south, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed many spellings throughout ancient Britain: Robert le Chaunceler, Cambridgeshire; Alan Chanceler, Norfolk; Walter Chaunceler, Norfolk; Robert le Caunceler, Bedfordshire; Roger le Canceler, Bedfordshire; and William Cancellarius, Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Chanceler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chanceler research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1432, 1553, 1554, 1556, 1564, 1681 and 1684 are included under the topic Early Chanceler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chanceler Spelling Variations

Translation in medieval times was an undeveloped science and was often carried out without due care. For this reason, many early Scottish names appeared radically altered when written in English. The spelling variations of Chanceler include Chancellor, Chansellor, Chanceller, Chancellour and many more.

Early Notables of the Chanceler family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Richard Chancellor (d. 1556), an English navigator; the first to navigate to the White Sea and establish relations with Russia. He was a pupil of the explorer Sebastian Cabot and the geographer John Dee. "He was in 1553 chosen to be captain of the Edward Bonaventure, and 'pilot-general' of the expedition which was fitted out under the command of Sir Hugh Willoughby [q. v.] in the Bona Esperanza, 'for the search and discovery of the northern part of the world,' and especially to look for a north-east...
Another 94 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chanceler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chanceler family

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Chanceler or a variant listed above: Captain Richard Chancellor from Lanarkshire, who settled in Westmoreland county Virginia in 1682; William Chanceller who settled in Virginia in 1698; as well as Ann, James, Jane, John, Joseph, Robert, Thomas, and William Chancellor, who all arrived in Philadelphia in 1820..

The Chanceler 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: Que je surmonte
Motto Translation: May I excel.

Citations +

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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)