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Chrystal History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Chrystal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancient Anglo-Saxon surname Chrystal came from Christopher, an ancient and popular font name which has been common since the 12th century. 1 Another source claims the name was "derived from a geographical locality. 'of Cristall.' I cannot find the spot, but Yorkshire seems to have been the home of the surname." 2

Early Origins of the Chrystal family

The surname Chrystal was first found in Yorkshire where one of the first records of the name was Robert de Cristall who was registered in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

Scotland was another homeland for the family and in this case, "it is certainly a diminutive or pet form of Christopher. The first form was an old surname in Foveran and it was not uncommon in Prestwick, Ayrshire, in the fifteenth century" 3

Early History of the Chrystal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chrystal research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1470, 1474, 1487, 1491, 1535, 1567, 1650, 1672 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Chrystal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chrystal Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Chrystal has been recorded under many different variations, including Chrystal, Cristall, Cristoll, Cristole, Cristell, Crystal, Crystall, MacCrystall, MacCristall and many more.

Early Notables of the Chrystal family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Crystall, (d. 1535) the twenty second abbot of a Cistercian monastery of Kinloss, near Forres in Moray. "Crystall was born in Culross in Perthshire, and educated in its monastery, a house of the Cistercians, where his talents, especially for music, attracted the attention of James Rait, the abbot, and his brother William, a skilled musician...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chrystal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chrystal migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Chrystal or a variant listed above:

Chrystal Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Chrystal, who landed in Missouri in 1855 4
James Chrystal who arrived in Philadelphia in 1868
James Chrystal, who arrived in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1871 4

Chrystal migration to Australia +

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

Chrystal Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

David Chrystal, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Nestor" in 1849 5

Chrystal 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:

Chrystal Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Chrystal, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "John Wickliffe" arriving in Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on 23rd March 1848 6
J. Chrystal, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "St. Leonards" in 1877
A. Chrystal, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "St. Leonards" in 1877

Contemporary Notables of the name Chrystal (post 1700) +

John Chrystal (1926-2000), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Governor of Iowa, 1990 7
James W. Chrystal, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Massachusetts State House of Representatives First Berkshire District, 1905 7
Robert Harry "Bob" Chrystal (1930-2023), Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman from Winnipeg, Manitoba who played 132 regular season games for the New York Rangers between 1953 and 1955
Mrs. Mairi Anna Chrystal M.B.E., British Head for Stroke Nurse and Therapist Service for Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to Stroke Patients in Scotland 8
Chrystal Macmillan (1872-1937), Scottish Liberal politician, barrister, feminist, the first female science graduate from the University of Edinburgh
Chrystal Mazey, American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1948 9

The Chrystal 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: Mens conscia recti
Motto Translation: A mind conscious of rectitude.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NESTOR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Nestor.gif
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html