| ![Show Contents]() Christien History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of ChristienWhat does the name Christien mean? The sea-swept Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland, made up the ancient Dalriadan kingdom, the ancestral home of the Christien family. Their name comes from the Latin given name Christianus, which means "belonging to Christ." Christianus was also the name of the 12th century Irish saint and Bishop of Candida Casa, and brother of St. Malachy of Armagh. Thus, the surname Christian became an extremely popular name, particularly in regions of Celtic or Irish influence such as Scotland, northern England, and the Isle of Man. It was also a common given name amongst the Danes and was the name of several Danish kings. The name is "very common in some parts of Scotland. Sir Walter Scott tells a story of an unsuccessful gaberlunzie woman who in the bitterness of her disappointment exclaimed: "Are there no Christians here?" and was answered: "Christians! nae, we be a' Elliots and Armstrangs !" 1 "Christianus was the name of a bishop of Candida Casa (Whithorn) who died at Holm Cultram in 1186." 2 Early Origins of the Christien familyThe surname Christien was first found in the north of England, "a familiar North-English font-name, though not wholly confined to the North." 3 As one would expect the early rolls had mixed entries for the name as both a forename and surname. By example, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Jordan filius Cristine, Kent; Agnes filius Cristine, Cambridgeshire; Brice Cristian, Somerset; and Cristina Alayne, Buckinghamshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Cristiane Lyttester; and Cristiana atte Tounead. 3 We would be remiss if we didn't mention the Christian family from the Isle of Man in more detail. On the infamous side, the mutineer Fletcher Christian was from this stock, but notably, the rear-admiral Sir Hugh CloBerry Christian (1747-1798), the Max writer Thomas Christian (d. 1799) and William Christian (1608-1663) the Receiver-General of the Isle of Man claimed the Isle of Man as their homeland. Early History of the Christien familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Christien research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1608, 1643, 1663 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Christien History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Christien Spelling VariationsMany spelling variations of Christien have been recorded over the years, including These are the result of the medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English. Christian, Cristian, McChristian, McChristianston and others. Early Notables of the Christien familyWilliam Christian (1608-1663), receiver-general of the Isle of Man (famous in Manx history under the name of Illiam Dhône, 'Brown-haired William'), born on 14 April 1608. "He was the third son of Ewan Christian, one of the deemsters or judges of the Isle of Man and deputy-governor of Peel Castle. In 1643 his father made over to him the estate of Ronaldsway. The circumstances of this transaction throw some light on Christian's subsequent conduct. The landed property in the Isle...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Christien Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Christien RankingFrance, the name Christien is the 4,645th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 4 Migration of the Christien family to IrelandSome of the Christien family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Christien migration to the United States | + |
Many who arrived from Scotland settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would go on to become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many settlers who remained loyal to England went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Their descendants later began to recover the lost Scottish heritage through events such as the highland games that dot North America in the summer months. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Christien family emigrate to North America:
Christien Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Christian Christien, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1757 5
Christien Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Peter Christien, aged 60, who arrived in Missouri in 1845 5
| Contemporary Notables of the name Christien (post 1700) | + |
- Christien Tinsley (b. 1974), American Academy Award and Primetime Emmy Award winning makeup artist, known for I Am Legend (2007), The Passion of the Christ (2004) and xXx (2002)
- Christien Gholson, American novelist, best known for his book, A Fish Trapped Inside the Wind
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- 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)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
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