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TCHISHOLM, Chisholme.

An old border family deriving their name from the barony of Chisholm in the parish of Roberton, Roxburghshire. The name occurs but seldom in early Scots records. The first of the name recorded is John de Chesehelme, mentioned in a bull of Pope Alexander IV, 1254. John de Chesolm of Berwickshire, and Richard de Chesehelme of Roxburghshire rendered homage in 1296. The shield of the latter bears a heater shield, a boar’s head, couped, contourne, dropping blood, and S’ Ricardi de Cheishelm. Inquisition was made in 1315 into the lands and fishings of John de Cheseholm in Paxton and Tweed, and Robert de Chesholm is mentioned in an action against the burgh of Dundee, 1348. By the middle of the 14th century members of the family had made their way to the north, and in 1359 Robert de Chesholme appears as sheriff of Inverness, and an Alexander de Chesseholme is there also. Robert de Chesholme was custodian of the Castle of Vrchard(sic), and in 1369 he is mentioned as dominus de Quarelwode in Moray. John de Sheshelm was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1439, and three members of the family of Chisholm of Cromlix held the bishopric of Dunblane in the sixteenth century. In 1499 certain individuals were put to the horn for the slaughter of Harrald of Schlescheme, dwelling in Straglas. It is interesting to note that so late as 1512 the territorial form “of Chessam” was still in use in the North. Weyland Chisholm had his lands of Comer in Strathglass erected into a barony in 1513. John Cheshelm of Kinereis in record, 1603, Walter Chisholm of that Ilk was bailie of regality of Melrose, 1605, and Alexander Cheshom was a private in the Reay Fencibles, 1795. The Gaelic form of Chisholm is Siosal, and collectively the clan is known as An Siosalach. The Highland Chisholms were also sometimes distinguished from the Lowland Chisholms as An Siosalach Glaiseach, theChisholms of Strathglass. In Antrim the name has become Chism.

(Extract from “The Surnames of Scotland” by George Black)

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