My Chisholm Family
Chisholm is a Scottish surname. Historically the Chisholm name traces its roots back to one of two regions of Scotland - Inverness or Borders region near Roxburgh.
The earliest confirmed ancestor of our Chisholm line is Roderick Chisholm of Perthshire. It was his granddaughter Elizabeth McPherson McFarlane who emigrated to Australia in 1862.
Biographies are available for the following family members
The Scottish Gaelic form of the name is Siosal (masculine),[2] and Shiosal (feminine). Alternatively the name Chisholm is said to be derived from a Norman French word "chese" meaning "to choose" and the Saxon word "holm" meaning "meadow" as in "The chosen meadow" which accurately describes the initial clan area of Roxburgh near Kelso
It is derived from a habitational name from Chisholme, near Hawick, in the south of Scotland. The name is derived from the Old English elements cese, meaning "cheese"; and holm, meaning "piece of dry land in a fen".
In the 14th century, members of the Chisholm family migrated into the Scottish Highlands and their name was Gaelicised.
According to Alexander Mackenzie, the Clan Chisholm is of Norman and Saxon origin.[3] Tradition stating that the Chisholms were a Norman family who arrived in England after the conquest of 1066.[3], the original surname being De Chese to which the Saxon term "Holme" was added.[3] According to the Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia the Chisholm name was known in the Scottish Borders since the reign of Alexander III.[4] In early records the name is written as "de Cheseholme", eventually later becoming Chisholm.[3] In Scotland the earliest recorded person of the family is on the Ragman Rolls as "Richard de Chisholm del Counte de Rokesburgh", referring to the Clan Chisholm's seat in Roxburghshire.[3]
One of the earliest recorded members of the family was John de Chesehelme, who in 1254 was mentioned in a bull of Pope Alexander IV.
In 1296 Richard de Chesehelme rendered homage to Edward I of England and appears on the Ragman Rolls.[4]
Sir John de Chesholme led the clan at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 against the English.[5] Robert Chisholm fought against the English at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346, was taken prisoner with King David II and probably not released until eleven years later when his royal master returned to Scotland.[6] In 1359 after being knighted by the king[4] he succeeded his grandfather as Constable of Urquhart Castle,[4] and later became Sheriff of Inverness and Justiciar of the North.[6] This Robert was the last Chisholm to hold lands in both the North and South of Scotland.[6] He divided his estates among his younger children.[6]
Robert's son was Alexander Chisholm who married Margaret, heiress of the lands of Erchless.[4] Erchless Castle has been the seat of the chiefs ever since.
The Chisholms became well known for cattle raiding. In 1498 Wiland Chisholm of Comar and others carried off 56 oxen, 60 cows, 300 sheep, 80 swine and 15 horses belonging to Hugh Rose of the Clan Rose.
Later in 1513 Wiland Chisholm of Comar and Sir Alexander MacDonald of Glengarry were with Sir Donald MacDonald of Lochalsh on his return from the Battle of Flodden when he decided to attack the Clan Urquhart.[7] Some sources say that Macdonald occupied Urquhart Castle for three years despite the efforts of Clan Grant to dislodge him and his companions.[7]
In 1647, Alexander Chisholm was appointed to the committee which arranged the defence of Inverness on behalf of the Covenanters against the Royalists. In 1653 the Chisholms stole cattle from the clans Munro and Fraser, they were however captured and brought to court where they were ordered to return all they had stolen and pay the Chief Munro of Foulis and Chief Fraser £1000 interest each.[8]
After the Stuart restoration in 1660, Alexander followed his father as a justice of the peace, and in 1674 was appointed Sheriff Deputy for Inverness. Once again his duties brought him up against the MacDonalds, for in 1679 he was ordered to lead a thousand men of the county to quell a disturbance created by some members of said clan, and in 1681 he was given a commission of fire and sword against them.
Jacobite risings
During the Jacobite rising of 1715, Roderick Maciain Chisholm, supported the Jacobite cause.[4] Chisholm of Crocfin led two hundred clansmen at the Battle of Sherrifmuir in 1715 where they were defeated.[4][9] Some members of the clan took part in the rising of 1719. A landing was made on the west of Scotland, and according to one account, the Chisholms were employed as scouts.[9] They were not present at the Battle of Glenshiel, which ended that Jacobite rebellion. Much of Roderick's lands were afterwards forfeited to the Crown.[9] With a number of other chiefs, Roderick obtained a royal pardon in 1727, but he was never allowed to regain his estates, which his brother administered until 1743, when it was transferred to Roderick's eldest son, Alexander Chisholm, younger of Comar.[9]
During the Jacobite rising of 1745, Roderick again supported the Jacobites. His son, Roderick Og Chisholm led the clan at the Battle of Culloden, leading a very small regiment of about 80 clansmen, of which 30 were killed, including himself.[9][4] One of the 14 Jacobite battle flags taken at Culloden, which were later burnt in Edinburgh, was a white linen banner [10]of this regiment.
It should be noted however that two of Roderick's sons James and John were Captains of the British army under the Duke of Cumberland.[9]
It derives from the lands of Chisholm, in the parish of Roberton, in the county of Roxburgh. Early Chisholm (the name is also recorded as Chisholme) name holders formed part of the famous Scottish raiders called ' The Border Reivers', who ranged as far south in England as the city of York. For reason unclear, over the centuries some of the 'Chisholms' moved north in Scotland, and in effect two separate clans developed, although there seems to have been little to choose between them for their general contempt for the law. The Gaelic form of the name is 'Siosal', and collectively the clan is called 'An Siosalach'. Amongst the early name holders was Robert de Chesholme, who was sherrif of Inverness in 1359, and also custodian of the castle of Vrchard. In 1499 certain persons (un-named) were executed for the killing of one 'Harrald de Schlescheme', of Strathglas, although the circumstances are far from clear. Walter Chisholm of that Ilk was the Bailie of Melrose in 1605, and the Chisholms of Cromlix went against all the clan tradition by being bishops of Dunblane in the 16th century. The clan chief is known as 'The Chisholm', and the coat of arms is a wild boars head in gold, on a red field. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de Cheshelme, which was dated 1254, the papal records of Pope Alexander 1V, during the reign of King Alexander 111 of Scotland, 1249 - 1286.
The name Chisholm is from a Norman French word "chese" meaning "to choose" and the Saxon word "holm" meaning "meadow. They became established first in the county of Roxburgh in the Border area of Scotland and the earliest record of the name is John de Chesehelme who is mentioned in a letter from Pope Alexander IV in 1254. John de Chesolm from Berwick and Richard de Chesolm from Roxburgh both signed the Ragman Rolls of King Edward I in 1296 and were two of 2,000 landowners and clergy to do so. The seal used by Richard shows the head of a boar which is part of the family coat of arms to this day. A number of other Border families also have a boar's head in their arms (Gordons, Elphinstones, Nisbets, Hoggs, Swintons) and may be descended from the Anglo-Saxon rulers of Bernicia in Northunbria.
According to legend, two Chesolm brothers saved the life of one of the Scottish kings in the 14th century and were granted land in Inverness-shire. Certainly, Sir Robert Chisholm was appointed constable of Urquhart Castle in 1359 but that was in succession to his maternal grandfather. His younger son remained as chief of the Chisholms in the Borders. A son of the Borders line established the Chisholms of Cromlix in Perthshire.
Alexander, Sir Robert Chisholm's eldest son, married Mary of Erchless and Comar. Erchless Castle became the seat of the Chisholm's and remained so for 500 years until the early 19th century.
Following the church Reformation in the 16th century, the Chisholms remained firmly Catholic and indeed the Perthshire Chisholms supplied three successive Bishops of Dunblane. When the Spanish Armada sailed to attack England in 1588, there were concerns about plots against Scotland and Sir James Chisholm of Cromlix was summoned to appear before the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Although no charges were brought, Sir James was later denounced in 1592 for "treason against the true Religion".
In the following century the clan chiefs became Protestant, although tolerant of the Catholic faith amongst their followers. Despite their religious conversion, the Chisholms rose in support of the Catholic "Old Pretender" in the Jacobite Uprising of 1715. They rose again in 1745 and 30 were killed at Culloden, including one of the chief's sons. After the defeat, Bonnie Prince Charlie trusted his life to eight of his followers, of whom three were Chisholms. When the Prince left from the west coast towards the Hebrides and exile, Hugh Chisholm shook hands in farewell. He vowed never to shake hands again and is said to have kept his vow to his death at a ripe old age.
After the 1745 Uprising, many clansmen emigrated, some voluntarily, others helped by periods of increased rents and forced clearances. In 1887 the chieftainship passed via an heiress to a James Gooden-Chisholm in Surrey. However, descendants adopted the Chisholm name and are now among those who form the Council of Scottish Clan Chiefs. The clan chief is referred to as "The Chisholm".
The Border Chisholms continued as a landed family until the end of the 19th century. The Cromlix lands passed to the Drummonds through marriage before 1600.
The Chisholm clan motto is "Feros ferio" which means "I am fierce with the fierce".
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