Chisholm () is a

Scottish surname Scottish surnames are surnames currently found in Scotland, or surnames that have a historical connection with the country. History The earliest surnames found in Scotland occur during the reign of David I, King of Scots (1124–53). These were ...

. Variants include Chisholme and Chisolm. The original name was 'De Chesé' to which the Saxon termination 'holme' was added on the marriage of a Norman ancestor with a Saxon heiress. The first recorded person of the name is a John de Chisholme, who is named in 1254 in a bull of Pope Alexander IV and found in the County of Roxburgh In the 14th century, members of the Chisholm family migrated into the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...

and their name was

Gaelicised Gaelicisation, or Gaelicization, is the act or process of making something Gaelic, or gaining characteristics of the ''Gaels'', a sub-branch of celticisation. The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group, traditionally viewed as having spread from Irel ...

. The

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

form of the name is ''Siosal'' (masculine), and ''Shiosal'' (feminine). Notable people with the surname or its variants include:

Chisholm

In Australia

Alan Rowland Chisholm Alan Rowland Chisholm (1888–1981), often referred to as A. R. Chisholm, was a distinguished professor of French, critic and memorialist. During the more than three decades he spent at the University of Melbourne, the French "program became a ...

(1888–1981), professor of French, critic and memorialist *

Alexander Hugh Chisholm Alexander Hugh Chisholm OBE FRZS (28 March 1890 — 10 July 1977) also known as Alec Chisholm, was a noted Australian naturalist, journalist, newspaper editor, author and ornithologist. He was a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists ...

(1890–1977), journalist, newspaper editor, author and ornithologist * Alice Chisholm (1856–1954), Australian woman who provided canteen services for soldiers in Egypt and Palestine during World War I *

Anthony Chisholm (politician) Anthony David Chisholm (born 24 February 1978) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has been a Senator for Queensland since 2016. He was appointed an assistant minister in the Albanese government ...

(born 1978), Australian politician *

Caroline Chisholm Caroline Chisholm (born Caroline Jones; 30 May 1808 – 25 March 1877) was a 19th-century English humanitarian known mostly for her support of immigrant female and family welfare in Australia. She is commemorated on 16 May in the calendar of ...

(1808–1877) Renowned 19th century social worker in Australia *

Dane Chisholm Dane Chisholm (born 4 July 1990) is a French-Australian international rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Featherstone Rovers in the Betfred Championship. He previously played for the Sheffield Eagles and the Melbourne Storm and ...

(born 1990), Australian rugby league footballer * Eric Chisholm (1892–1946), Australian rules footballer *

Geoff Chisholm Geoffrey Donald Chisholm (8 September 1929 – 13 January 2006) was an Australian politician. He was born in Smithton, Tasmania. In 1964, he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Labor member for Braddon. He was Chair of Commit ...

(1929–2006), Australian politician * Keith Chisholm (1918–1991), distinguished Australian fighter pilot * Les Chisholm (1888–1923), Australian rules footballer *

Mark Chisholm Mark Chisholm (born 18 September 1981) is a retired Australian rugby union player. Chisholm usually played as a lock, but could also cover blindside flanker. Career Chisholm represented Australia's under-19 side in 2000 as well as being name ...

(born 1981), Australian rugby union footballer * Scott Chisholm (footballer) (born 1973), Aboriginal Australian Rules footballer *

Sheila Chisholm Margaret Sheila Mackellar Chisholm (9 September 1895 – 13 October 1969) was an Australian socialite and "it girl" in British high society during and after World War I. She married three times: Francis St Clair-Erskine, Lord Loughborough (h ...

(1895–1969), socialite in British high society

In Canada

* Alexander Chisholm (Upper Canada politician) (1790–1854), political figure in Upper Canada * Angus Chisholm (1908–1979), Cape Breton fiddler *

Arthur Murray Chisholm Arthur Murray "A.M." Chisholm (July 23, 1871 – January 24, 1960), also known as Bob Chisholm later in life, was an author of Western fiction. He was the son of Daniel Black Chisholm and Cynthia Adelaide (Adeline) Davis. He settled in Winde ...

(1871–1960), Canadian author of Western fiction * Bob Chisholm (born 1947), Canadian politician *

Brock Chisholm George Brock Chisholm (18 May 1896 – 4 February 1971) was a Canadian psychiatrist, medical practitioner, World War I veteran, and the first director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO). He was the 13th Canadian Surgeon General and t ...

(1896–1971), physician * Christopher P. Chisholm (1854–?), Canadian lawyer and political figure *

Daniel Black Chisholm Daniel Black Chisholm (November 30, 1832 – September 22, 1898) was a farmer, lawyer and mayor of Hamilton, Ontario from 1871–1872. In the 1872 federal election he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada representing Hamilton ...

(1832–1899), Canadian farmer, lawyer and politician * Donald Chisholm (politician) (1822–1890), Canadian Member of Parliament *

George King Chisholm George King Chisholm (September 4, 1814 – April 14, 1874) was an Ontario farmer and political figure. He was born in Nelson Township in Upper Canada in 1814, the son of William Chisholm. He studied at Upper Canada College and moved to Hamilt ...

(1814–1874), politician *

Joseph Andrew Chisholm Sir Joseph Andrew Chisholm (January 9, 1863 – January 22, 1950) was Mayor of Halifax and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. Biography Born in St. Andrews, Nova Scotia to William and Flora Chisholm, Chisholm was educated at St ...

(1863–1950), politician and jurist *

Kenneth Chisholm Kenneth Chisholm (March 17, 1829 – September 26, 1906) was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Peel in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal member from 1873 to 1892. He was born in Toronto Township (no ...

(1829–1906), Canadian businessman and politician * Marie-Hélène Chisholm (born 1979), judoka *

Robert Chisholm (Canadian politician) Robert Lawrence Chisholm (born August 31, 1957 in Kentville, Nova Scotia) is a former trade unionist and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented the Halifax Atlantic riding in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1991 to 2003. He s ...

(born 1957), former politician *

Robert Kerr Chisholm Robert Kerr Chisholm (May 26, 1819 – February 27, 1899) was a political figure in Oakville, Ontario, serving as mayor in 1866. He was born in Nelson Township in Upper Canada in 1819, the son of William Chisholm, and was educated in Hamilton ...

(1819–1899), politician *

William Chisholm (Nova Scotia politician) William Chisholm (December 8, 1870 – April 28, 1936) was a Canadian politician. Born in Heatherton, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia, Chisholm was educated at the Common School of Heatherton and graduated in arts from the St. Francis Xav ...

(1870–1936), politician * William Chisholm (Upper Canada politician) (1788–1842), founder of Oakville, Ontario

In the United Kingdom

* Aeneas Chisholm (vicar apostolic of the Highland District) (1759–1818), Roman Catholic bishop in Scotland * Aeneas Chisholm (Bishop of Aberdeen) (1836–1918), Scottish prelate who served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Aberdeen * Alastair Chisholm ( 2023), Scottish children's writer *

Alex Chisholm Alex Chisholm (born 2 January 1968) is a British civil servant and regulator, who has served as Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary and the chief operating officer of the United Kingdom's Civil Service since April 2020. He was previously the pe ...

(born 1968), British civil servant * Alexander Chisholm (1792?–1847), British portrait and historical painter * Alexander William Chisholm, 25th of Chisholm (1810–1838) Scottish landowner, clan chief and MP *

(1808–1877), English humanitarian *

Catherine Chisholm Catherine Chisholm (2 January 1878 – 21 July 1952) was a British physician and the first female medical graduate of the University of Manchester. She was instrumental in founding the Manchester Babies Hospital, which was opened on 4 August ...

(1878–1952), British physician * Cecil Chisholm (1888–1961), British journalist, publisher and author *

David Chisholm David Chisholm ( St. Boswells, 23 January 1937 – Borders, 27 July 1998) was a Scottish rugby union player.Bath, p. 138 He played as a fly-half. He had 14 caps for Scotland, from 1964 to 1968, scoring 1 try and 4 drop goals, 15 points on aggre ...

(1937–1998), Scottish rugby union footballer *

Duncan Chisholm Duncan Chisholm (born 31 October 1968) is a Scottish fiddle player and composer. He has released six solo albums as a solo artist. His studio album, '' Affric'', released in 2012, was longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. In ...

(born 1968), Scottish fiddle player and composer *

Erik Chisholm Erik William Chisholm (4 January 1904 – 8 June 1965) was a Scottish composer, pianist, organist and conductor sometimes known as "Scotland's forgotten composer". According to his biographer, Chisholm "was the first composer to absorb Celtic i ...

(1904–1965), Scottish composer and conductor *

Geoffrey Duncan Chisholm Geoffrey Duncan Chisholm, CBE, FRCS, MRCS (30 September 1931 – 10 November 1994) was a New Zealand-born, British urologist. He made extensive advances in renal x-rays. He was also a strong advocate of kidney transplants, promoting the advantag ...

(1931–1994), British urologist * George Chisholm (geographer) (1850–1930), author of first English-language economic geography textbook *

George Chisholm (musician) George Chisholm OBE (29 March 1915 – 6 December 1997) was a Scottish jazz trombonist and vocalist. In the late 1930s he moved to London, where he played in dance bands led by Bert Ambrose and Teddy Joyce.Coln Larkin, ''Virgin Encycloped ...

(1915–1997), jazz trombonist *

Gordon Chisholm Gordon William Chisholm (born 8 April 1960 in Glasgow) is a Scottish professional football former player and manager. Chisholm played as a central defender for Sunderland, Hibernian, Dundee and Partick Thistle. After retiring as a player, Chis ...

(born 1960), Scottish footballer *

Grace Chisholm Young Grace Chisholm Young (née Chisholm, 15 March 1868 – 29 March 1944) was an English mathematician. She was educated at Girton College, Cambridge, England and continued her studies at Göttingen University in Germany, where in 1895 she receive ...

(1868–1944), mathematician (maiden name 'Chisholm') *

Hugh Chisholm Hugh Chisholm (; 22 February 1866 – 29 September 1924) was a British journalist, and editor of the 10th, 11th and 12th editions of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Life He was born in London, a son of Henry Williams Chisholm (1809–1901), ...

(1866–1924), journalist and editor of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' * Iain Chisholm (born 1985), Scottish footballer * Janet Chisholm (1929–2004), MI6 agent *

John Chisholm (soldier) John Chisholm, 16th-century Scottish soldier and chief officer, Comptroller and ''Prefect'' of the Scottish artillery for Mary, Queen of Scots and James VI of Scotland, and keeper of the King's Wark in Leith. Chisholm was a supporter of Mary, Qu ...

, 16th-century Comptroller and Prefect of the Scottish artillery * John Chisholm (vicar apostolic of the Highland District) (1752–1814), Roman Catholic bishop in Scotland * John Chisholm (engineer) (born 1946), engineer, chairman of the Medical Research Council and QinetiQ *

John Stephen Roy Chisholm J. S. R. (Roy) Chisholm (26 November 1926 – 10 August 2015) was an English mathematical physicist. He was Professor Emeritus of Applied Mathematics at the University of Kent in Canterbury, where he worked from its founding in 1965 until 1994. ...

(1926–2015), English mathematical physicist * Ken Chisholm (1925–1990), Scottish footballer *

Malcolm Chisholm Malcolm George Richardson Chisholm (born 7 March 1949) is a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Health and Community Care from 2001 to 2004 and Minister for Communities from 2004 to 2006. A member of the Scottish Labour Party, he w ...

(born 1949), Scottish politician *

Mairi Chisholm Mairi Lambert Gooden Chisholm of Chisholm, MM, OStJ (26 February 1896 – 22 August 1981), known as Mairi Chisholm, was a Scottish nurse and ambulance driver in the First World War. She, together with her friend Elsie Knocker, won numerous me ...

(1896–1981), Scottish nurse and ambulance driver in the First World War *

Melanie Chisholm Melanie Jayne Chisholm (12 January 1974 - 25 December 2022), better known as Melanie C or Mel C, is an English singer-songwriter and media personality. She is best known as one of the five members of the Spice Girls, during which time she was n ...

(better known as Melanie C), British singer *

Robert Chisholm (architect) Robert Fellowes Chisholm (11 January 1840 – 28 May 1915) was a British architect who pioneered the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture in Madras. Early life Chisholm was born in London on 11 January 1840 (or on 3 November 1838, according ...

(1838–1915), architect of the Indo-Saracenic Senate House of the University of Madras * William Chisholm (died 1564), bishop of Dunblane * William Chisholm (died 1593), bishop of Dunblane and of Vaison, nephew to the above

In the United States

Anthony Chisholm (actor) Anthony Chisholm (April 9, 1943 – October 16, 2020) was an American actor. Career He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a play, for his role of Elder Joseph Barlow in August Wilson's ''Radio Golf''. He also performed ...

, (1943–2020), American actor *

Henry Chisholm Henry Chisholm (April 22, 1822 – May 9, 1881) was a Scottish American businessman and Steel#Steel industry, steel industry executive during the Gilded Age in the United States. A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, he purchased a small, struggling iron ...

(1822–1881), Scottish American businessman * Hugh J. Chisholm (1847–1912), industrialist *

Jesse Chisholm Jesse Chisholm (''circa ''1805 - March 4, 1868) (Cherokee) was a Cherokee fur trader and merchant in the American West. He is known for having scouted and developed what became known as the Chisholm Trail, later used to drive cattle from Texas to ...

(died 1868), American Indian trader, guide, and interpreter for whom the Chisholm Trail is named * John Chisholm (born 1963), American prosecutor * Jori Chisholm (born 1975), bagpiper *

Kari Chisholm Kari Chisholm (born July 2, 1973) is an American political consultant and sports commentator based in Portland, Oregon. He became known for commentary on the Heisman Trophy, and his now-defunct site StiffArmTrophy.com correctly predicted the winn ...

(born 1973), United States politician *

Linda Chisholm Linda Rae Chisholm (born December 21, 1957 in Northridge, California) is a former American competitive volleyball player and Olympic silver medalist. She played NCAA women's volleyball for the Pepperdine Waves The Pepperdine Waves are the ath ...

(born 1957), United States volleyball player * Malcolm H. Chisholm (1945–2015), chemist *

Roderick Chisholm Roderick Milton Chisholm (; November 27, 1916 – January 19, 1999) was an American philosopher known for his work on epistemology, metaphysics, free will, value theory, and the philosophy of perception. The ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy ...

(1916–1999), philosopher *

Sallie W. Chisholm Sallie Watson "Penny" Chisholm (born 1947) is an American biological oceanographer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is an expert in the ecology and evolution of ocean microbes. Her research focuses particularly on the most abun ...

(born 1947), scientist who discovered the cyanobacterium ''Prochlorococcus'' *

Shirley Chisholm Shirley Anita Chisholm ( ; ; November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional distr ...

(1924–2005), politician *

Thomas Chisholm (songwriter) Thomas Obadiah Chisholm (1866–1960) was an American hymnwriter, poet, and Methodist minister. Chisholm was born on July 29, 1866, in a log cabin near Franklin, Kentucky, Franklin, Kentucky. He became a teacher at the age of 16. Circa 1893, aged ...

, American songwriter who wrote several prominent Christian hymns including "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" *

Tim Chisholm Tim Chisholm (born October 31, 1969) is a semi-retired American real tennis player. He is Racquets Director at The Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, New York. Career A former lawn tennis player, Chisholm switched to the original game of tennis around ...

(born 1969), player of real tennis * Tanya Chisholm (born 1984), American actress * William Chisholm (died 1877), victim of the Chisolm Massacre * Terrance Jamel Chisolm American songwriter, Composer, Army Veteran (Born 1982)

Elsewhere

* Jamel Chisholm (born 1995), Jamaican international rugby league footballer playing in England *

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jasrado Prince Hermis Arrington "Jazz" Chisholm Jr. (born February 1, 1998) is a Bahamian professional baseball second baseman and center fielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB) and Great Britain national baseball team. Ear ...

(born 1998), Bahamian baseball player

Chisholme

John James Scott-Chisholme 7247613153 John James Scott Chisholme (1 August 1851 – 21 October 1899) was a British cavalry officer who died heroically leading a charge that turned the Battle of Elandslaagte in the Second Anglo-Boer War. Biography Chisholme was the son of Joh ...

(1851–1899), British cavalry officer who died in the Second Anglo-Boer War

Chisolm

Garrett Chisolm Garrett Chisolm (born April 2, 1988) is a former American football offensive guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as an offensive lineman for the South Carolina Gamecocks. As a senior ...

, American NFL player * Richard Chisolm, cinematographer and film-maker based in Baltimore, Maryland

Chisum

David Chisum David Chisum (born February 5, 1970) is an American actor. He portrayed Miles Laurence on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from February 9, 2007, to April 22, 2008. Chisum and Rebecca Staab starred in eight 35-second webisodes airing ...

(born 1970), American actor * Donald S. Chisum, American legal scholar * Gloria Chisum (born 1930), American psychologist *

John Chisum John Simpson Chisum (August 16, 1824 – December 23, 1884) was a wealthy cattle baron in the American West in the mid-to-late 19th century. He was born in Hardeman County, Tennessee, and moved with his family to the Republic of Texas in 1837, ...

(1824–1884), American cattle baron, depicted in the 1970 Western film ''Chisum'' * John Chisum (baseball) (1915–1982), American baseball player

References

{{surname, Chisholm English-language surnames Scottish surnames Scottish Gaelic-language surnames