Christoffels History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Christoffels is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from Christopher, an ancient and popular personal name which has been popular for many years as literally, the name means 'Bearer of Christ'. "I have been told that all who bear the somewhat rare name of Christopherson hail from Furness, in North Lancashire. Anyway it is a native, and owes its origin to the treacherous sands of Morecombe and Duddon. The legend of St. Christopher is that he found an occupation in guiding passengers across a wide stream. One night he bare unawares the child Christ, and was about to sink under an ever-increasing weight, when the Saviour said, 'Thou bearest Him who beareth the sins of the world.' No doubt there would be a shrine to the Saint for belated travellers on Chapel Isle, opposite Conishead Priory. Many a babe would be dedicated to him in gratitude for some hairbreadth escape his father had experienced. " 1 Early Origins of the Christoffels familyThe surname Christoffels was first found in North Lancashire at Furness (now known as Dalton-In-Furness. "The town derived its principal importance from the erection of the magnificent Abbey of Furness, founded in 1127, by Stephen, afterwards king of England, for monks of the Cistercian order, whom he removed from Tulketh, in Amounderness, to this valley, where, obtaining valuable grants, they continued for more than four centuries. " 2 Early History of the Christoffels familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Christoffels research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1225, 1245, 1295, 1558, 1613 and 1659 are included under the topic Early Christoffels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Christoffels Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Christoffels has undergone many spelling variations, including Christopher, Cristopher and others. Early Notables of the Christoffels familyDistinguished members of the family include John Christopherson (d. 1558), Bishop of Chichester, "a native of Ulverstone in Lancashire, and was educated in the university of Cambridge, first at Pembroke... Migration of the Christoffels family to IrelandSome of the Christoffels family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Christoffels were among those contributors: Christoffels Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
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