Chrystall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Chrystall is a name that dates far back into the mists of early British history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. It is derived 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 Chrystall family

The surname Chrystall 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 Chrystall family

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

Chrystall Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Chrystall are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Chrystall include: Chrystal, Cristall, Cristoll, Cristole, Cristell, Crystal, Crystall, MacCrystall, MacCristall and many more.

Early Notables of the Chrystall 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 Chrystall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chrystall migration to Australia +

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

Chrystall Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Alexander Chrystall, aged 33, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Medina" 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Chrystall (post 1700) +

Lillian Jessie Chrystall OBE (1926-2022), née Laidlaw, a New Zealand architect, the first woman to receive a national New Zealand Institute of Architects award

The Chrystall 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)
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MEDINA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/medina1852.shtml