Challenor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Wales
Scotland

The surname Challenor 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 Challenor family

The surname Challenor 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 Challenor family

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

Challenor Spelling Variations

The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Challenor have included Chaloner, Challener, Challenor, Challinor, Chalener, Chalenor, Challoner, Chalinor, Challon, Challin, Challen, Chalen, Chalin and many more.

Early Notables of the Challenor 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; Sir Thomas Chaloner (1559-1615), an English naturalist who introduced alum manufacturing to England; and Thomas Chaloner (1595-1661), an English politician, commissioner at the trial of Charles I and signatory to his death warrant.Richard Challoner (1691-1781), was a Catholic prelate, son of Richard Challoner, a wine cooper at Lewes in Sussex. "Soon afterwards the father died, leaving his young...
Another 294 words (21 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Challenor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Challenor migration to Australia +

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

Challenor Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

W.H. Challenor, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1846 4
William Challenor, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 5

Challenor 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:

Challenor Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Challenor, aged 43, a boatman, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875
Eliza Challenor, aged 37, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875

Challenor migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 6

Challenor Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Thomas Challenor, who settled in Jamaica in 1684

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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Hooghly.htm
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies