Chussell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Chussell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Chishall, two parishes in the county of Essex. It is from the place-name that the family name is derived. Today, Fort Chiswell is located in Wythe County, Virginia, United States and was originally a frontier fort built in 1758 during the French and Indian War; and the Chiswell Islands are a group of rocky, uninhabited islands in the Gulf of Alaska. Unfortunately, the reason for the named locations has been lost.

Early Origins of the Chussell family

The surname Chussell was first found in Essex at either Great Chishall or Little Chishall, both in the union of Royston, hundred of Uttlesford. 1 Chiswell Green is a village, in St Albans, Hertfordshire which dates back to 1782. The name was thought to have been derived from "the gravelly spring or stream" from the Old English "cis" + "wella" + "green." 2

One of the first records of the family was John de Chishull (d. 1280), Bishop of London, "probably born in Essex in the village of Chishall, between Royston and Saffron from which he doubtless took his name. A branch of his family was afterwards settled at Bardfield in the same county. In 1252 he was appointed rector of Isleham in Cambridgeshire, and in 1256 he received from the king the church of Upwell in Norfolk. Previously to 1262 he had become Archdeacon of London, and in that year acted as executor for Bishop Wingham." 3

Early History of the Chussell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chussell research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1639, 1670, 1671, 1673, 1711, 1733 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Chussell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chussell 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 Chussell 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Chussell include: Chiswell, Chissell, Chishull, Chussell and others.

Early Notables of the Chussell family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Muilman French-Chiswell; and Richard Chiswell (1673-1751), a wealthy English merchant and politician, Director of the Bank of England. Edmund Chishull (1671-1733), was an English divine and antiquary, son of Paul Chishull, born at Eyworth, Bedfordshire, 22 March 1670-1671. 3 Richard Chiswell the Elder (1639-1711), ''who...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chussell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chussell family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Chussell or a variant listed above: James Chisel, who settled in Philadelphia in 1838.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print