CHALLIS
Challis is a surname of both English and French origin, which has been recorded within the British Isles since the early medieval period. The name is traditionally associated with Christian families in England and is predominantly found within the southeastern counties.
The etymology of Challis can be traced to the Old French word chalice, meaning a cup or goblet. It is thought to have arisen as an occupational name for a maker or seller of chalices, or alternatively as a nickname for an individual who bore some resemblance to a chalice in form or character. Throughout the centuries the name has remained relatively uncommon, although it is still most frequently encountered in the south east of England.
A second source of the surname is Norman in origin. It is a locational name derived from Eschalles, a village in Pas-de-Calais, the name of which comes from the plural of Old French eschelle meaning ladder, ultimately from the Latin scala. The name was brought to England following the Conquest of 1066, when the first recorded bearers were followers of William the Conqueror who were granted land. Early forms of the name include Henry de Shallers, noted in the Knights' Templars Records of Hertfordshire in 1153; Geoffrey de Chaliers, recorded in Cambridgeshire in 1203; and Thomas de Chalers, documented in Cambridgeshire in 1340. In 1524 a Thomas Chales appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk. The contemporary spellings are Challis, Challiss, Challice, Chalice and Challes. Significant marital records involve John Challes and Alice Vicary, who were united in Taunton, Somerset in 1625, and Henry Challes and Alse Williams, whose marriage was conducted at St Martin-Vintry in London on 10 April 1626.
A prominent individual bearing the surname was James Challis, born in 1803 and deceased in 1882. He served as director of the Cambridge Observatory from 1836 to 1861 and, with the aid of an array of telescopic instruments, observed the planet Neptune on 4 August 1846, although he was unaware of its identity at the time of observation.
The Challes family of Bresse, Savoie in eastern France were granted a coat of arms which consists of a silver shield bearing a black cross moline. In heraldic symbolism silver is traditionally associated with peace and sincerity, while black connotes constancy. The earliest documentation of the family name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where Henry de Scalers is recorded under the household of King William I, known as William the Conqueror, who reigned from 1066 until 1087.
Typical given names associated with the Challis surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Anne
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Jennifer
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Chalas
- Chales
- Challia
- Challise
- Chail
- Chaill
- Chailley
- Chal
- Chaley
- Chali
- Chalice
- Chalis
- Chalise
- Chalisey
- Chaliss
- Chall
- Challa
- Challace
- Challas
- Challes
- Challess
- Challey
- Challice
- Challies
- Challin
- Challing
- Challins
- Challiss
- Challo
- Challos
- Challs
- Chally
- Chalus
- Cheales
- Cheall
- Cheals
- Cheles
- Cheli
- Chelius
- Chelley
- Chelli
- Chelliah
- Chellis
- Chelly
- Chelsea
- Chilas
- Chiles
- Chillas
- Chilles
- Chillis
- Chills
- Chilos
- Chils
- Choales
- Choles
- Chollis
- Choules
- Chouls
- Chowles
- Cialis
- Schales
- Schall
- Shacallis
- Shailes
- Shails
- Shales
- Shali
- Shalice
- Shalless
- Shalley
- Shalli
- Shallice
- Shallie
- Shallis
- Shallish
- Shally
- Shalz
- Shaulis
- Shayles
- Shayls
- Sheales
- Sheally
- Sheals
- Sheels
- Sheiles
- Sheills
- Sheils
- Shellie
- Shellis
- Shells
- Shels
- Shewles
- Shieills
- Shieles
- Shiells
- Shiels
- Shiles
- Shills
- Shoals
- Sholes
- Shouls
- Shulls
- Shulz
- Shulze
- Shyles
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Challis in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 4,220 people named Challis in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,213th most common surname in Britain. Around 65 in a million people in Britain are named Challis.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Challis
- John Challis - Actor
- Trevor Challis - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.