Early History

13th & 14th Centuries

Clan Chisholm had its origin outside Scotland. The first Chisholm to appear in the records of Scotland was Alexander de Chesehelm, who witnessed a charter in 1248/49.

  But before that there is an rather indepth piece of history pertaining to how the Chisholm name was formed.

  The ancient Chisholm lands in Roxburghshire are near the ancient Clan lands of Home. The name Holm is way more ancient than Home. When the Normans arrived, a variety of their nobles were given ancient Holm lands where they became known as "So and so of Holm". But, they didn't like the silent "L" so they banished it. Hense, the names of Home and Hume. The whole area from the east to the west coast was full of people named Holm. The Name Chisholm most certainly came from this group. "Waterside meadow good for producing cheese" is the common finding for the name. But that bypasses many other theories.

  Holm was more importantly a name of an island just off the shore. People use to bury their dead on this island because of the wolves that were prevelant in Scotland and they would dig up the graves. Wolves found it rather difficult to get to the island. If someone wanted to have cattle and make a lot of cheese it would make sense to do it on the island. This kept the wolves at bay. So "Cheese Island Holm" would be a better origin of the name. The ancient word "cheese" and the ancient word "chest" evolved out of each other. The word "chest" was taken from cheese, so the chest was used to contain the cheese during the long winter months.

  The Ollamh (as the Druid priets were called), used the sacred islands as a place of worship. Hills, Islands and Holm were given those names from the Druids. So, it's safe to say that Chisholm is a Druid name compiled of three different names created by the Druids. Could we also (as a clan) be Druids at heart?

   Regardless, the early Scottish Chisholms were not to be found in the Highlands, but owned land near the English border. In 1296 Richard de Chesehelm was described as "of the county of Berwick", while in 1335 Alexander de Chesehelm was called "Lord of The Chisholm"  in Roxburgh and Paxton in Berwickshire.

   Apart from the property they owned, nothing is known of these men, but with Alexander's son Robert the first connection is made with the Highlands. Robert married the daughter of another Border laird, Sir Robert Lauder of Bass. In 1329, Sir Robert Lauder wes sent as Justicar of the North and Constable of Castle Urquhart. In return for his good service, especially against the King's enemies in 1333, Lauder was given the lands of Quarrelwood, near Elgin, and others at Cantray, near Nairn.

   These lands of Quarrelwood and Cantray were to pass through Robert Chisholm and his wife to their own son Robert. This "Robert" fought against the English at the Battle of Nevilles Cross in 1346,  and was taken prisoner with King David II and probably not released until eleven years later when his royal master returned to Scotland. In 1359 Robert Chisholm succeeded his Grandfather as Constable of Castle Urquhart, and later became Sheriff of Inverness and Justicar to the North. This "Robert" was the last Chisholm to hold lands in both the North and South of Scotland. He divided his estates amongst his younger children.

   In 1368 Robert's eldest son, Alexander, married an heiress, Margaret Del Ard, the Lady of Erchless. Margaret's dowry included land in Forfar, Perth, Lanark, Aberdeen and Invernes-Shire. Their son, Thomas married the daughter of Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh in about 1400. It is possible that Comar and Strathglass were part of her dowry, although there is no evidence that the Mackintosh's ever owned land so far north-west of Loch Ness.