Chandler
An occupational surname for a candle maker or seller, from medieval trade names.
The #404 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,899 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Chandler comes from a medieval trade word for someone who made or sold candles and related goods. The name ultimately goes back to Latin and Old French forms such as candela and candeler, all connected with candles. In English usage, it became a hereditary surname for people identified by that occupation.
History
The surname is well established in English records from the Middle Ages, where it appears in forms like Le Candeler and Candelarius. Over time it remained common as an occupational surname, and later sources note that it was sometimes understood more broadly as a dealer in small wares. Related forms such as Candler, Candlemaker, and the less common Chandless also point back to the same trade.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley notes the spelling Chantler as an example of the old tendency for d and t to swap in surnames, which is why it can sit beside Chandler in historical records.
From the historical record
“however Chauncy. CHANDLER. Origmally a maker of candles, though now erroneously applied to a dealer in small wares. In the H.R. Le Chaundeler, Le Candeler, and Candelarius. CHANDLESS. Perhaps a corruption of Chandler. CHANDOS. Robert de C, ancestor of the barons of that name, came fi"om Nor- mandy with William the…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom