Chrisman
A surname usually treated as a short form or variant of Christman, ultimately linked to the personal name Christian.
The #5,247 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 46,449 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Chrisman is generally explained as a variant of Christman, a surname built from the old personal name Christian. In this older view, it means essentially “son of Christman” or “descendant of Christian,” with Christman itself reflecting the medieval given name. The form is also associated with German usage, and Bardsley specifically treats it as a German import rather than an English baptismal name.
History
The name appears in English records in spellings such as Christman and Chrisman, and later became established in forms without the middle -t-. In the United States, Chrisman is best known as an inherited family surname, with no single dominant origin story beyond the Christian-name derivation. The spelling may also overlap with similar-looking forms influenced by Christmas or by regional spelling simplification.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley specifically notes that he did not think Christman was ever used as a baptismal name in England, which is why he treated the surname as an import rather than a native English formation.
From the historical record
“Christman, Christmann, Chrisman.— Bapt 'the son of Christman,' seemingly equivalent to Christian, once a popular per- sonal name. I do not think Christ- man was ever in use at the font in England. It is a German importa-”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)