Show ContentsChisholme History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Chisholme Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Chisholme

What does the name Chisholme mean?

The rich saga of the Chisholme family begins in ancient Scotland among the clans of the Boernician tribe. They lived in the Barony of Chisolm in the Parish of Roberton, Roxburghshire. The Gaelic form of the name is Siosalach and together the Clan is known as An Siosalach.

Chisholme Coat of Arms Creation

According to Scottish lore, it is uncertain if the family came to Inverness-shire from the Borders or from Caithness, but it is claimed that they had the boar's head as their crest before they came. It is said that at one time Glenconvinth was infested with wild boars which were a terror to the people, who, on one occasion, assembled to hunt out the last of them.

Among the number was the Master of Chisholm. After sharpening his spear, a young man advanced to kill the animal, which was seen not far off. His courage, however, failed, and then young Chisholm asked to be permitted to attack it. With sharpened spear he went forward undismayed by his antagonist, and, as it was in the act of springing, he pierced the animal in the neck and then stood on the body. Since then, at any rate, the crest of the family is a right hand holding a dagger on the point of which is a boar's head ; and the motto is " Feros ferio " (I strike the fierce). 1

Early Origins of the Chisholme family

The surname Chisholme was first found in Roxburghshire, from the barony of Chisholm. One of the first times the name was listed was John de Chesehelme, in Roxburghshire in 1254. Robert de Chesholme was custodian of Urchard Castle in the 1300s. By the mid-14th century, much of the family had moved north: Robert de Chesholme appears as the sheriff of Inverness in 1359. Many feel that Robert was the founder of the Clan.

"The first of the name recorded is John de Chesehelme, mentioned in a bull of Pope Alexander IV, 1254. John de Chesolm of Berwickshire, and Richard de Chesehelme of Roxburghshire rendered homage in 1296. The seal of the latter bears on a heater shield, a boar s head, couped, contoume, dropping blood, and S' Ricardi de Cheishelm." 2

Early History of the Chisholme family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chisholme research. Another 472 words (34 lines of text) covering the years 1176, 1315, 1348, 1359, 1369, 1439, 1486, 1499, 1512, 1513, 1527, 1561, 1564, 1593, 1603, 1605, 1629, 1647, 1684, 1715, 1785 and 1795 are included under the topic Early Chisholme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chisholme Spelling Variations

In the many years before the invention of the printing press and the first dictionaries, names and other words were spelled according to sound, often differently with each person who wrote them. Spelling variations of Chisholme include Chisholme, Chisum, Chissum, Chissolm, Chissholm, Chisolt, Chism, Chisholm, Chisham, Chiseholm, Chisam and many more.

Early Notables of the Chisholme family

William Chisholm (d. 1564), Bishop of Dunblane, the second son of Edmund Chisholm of Cromlix, near Dunblane, a son of Chisholm of that Ilk in Rhoxburghshire and half-brother of James Chisholm, who was Bishop of Dunblane from 1486 to 1527, when he resigned his see, with the consent of Pope Clement VII and King James V, in favour of William Chisholm. William Chisholm was consecrated bishop at Stirling on 14 April 1527. 3 Another William Chisholm (d. 1593), was Bishop of Dunblane and Bishop of Vaison, a son of Chisholm of Cromlix, and nephew to William Chisholm, bishop of Dunblane from 1527...
Another 105 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chisholme Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Chisholme family to Ireland

Some of the Chisholme family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chisholme migration to the United States +

In many cases, the ancestors of many of these Boernician-Scottish people are just now learning of their Scottish heritage. Since the trip was so arduous, and many were fleeing from poverty itself, settlers brought little with them and often had nothing of their personal history to hand down to their children. Clan societies and highland games have helped to correct this problem in the 20th century. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Chisholmes to arrive on North American shores:

Chisholme Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Alexander Chisholme, who settled in Georgia in 1735

Chisholme migration to Canada +

Chisholme Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Hugh Chisholme U.E. born in Scotland who settled in Saint Stephen, New Brunswick c. 1783 member of the Port Matoon Association 4

Chisholme migration to Australia +

Chisholme Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

The Chisholme 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: Feros ferio
Motto Translation: I am fierce with the fiercest

Suggested Readings for the name Chisholme +

  • The Chisz: A History of the Chisholme/Chism Family by John D. Chism.
  1. Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
  2. 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)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant

Houseofnames.com on Facebook