Cristopher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Cristopher

The generations and branches of the Cristopher family share a name that has its roots in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name Cristopher 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 Cristopher family

Early History of the Cristopher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cristopher research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1225, 1245, 1295, 1558, 1613 and 1659 are included under the topic Early Cristopher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cristopher Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Cristopher include Christopher, Cristopher and others.

Early Notables of the Cristopher family

John Christopherson (d. 1558), Bishop of Chichester, "a native of Ulverstone in Lancashire, and was educated in the university of Cambridge, first at Pembroke Hall, and then at St. John's...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cristopher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cristopher family to Ireland

Some of the Cristopher family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cristopher family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Cristopher or a variant listed above: Christopher Christopher, Geoffrey's brother, who settled in Nantucket in 1630; William and Katherine Christopher who arrived in Barbados in 1679 with their servants.