The descendants of the clans of the ancient Scottish tribe known as the Picts
were the first to use the name Zellars. It was a name for a merchant, someone who worked in cellars, and a saddler. Zellars is an occupational
surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames
surnames were derived from the primary activity of the bearer. In the Middle Ages, people did not generally live off of the fruits of their labor in a particular job. Rather, they performed a specialized task, as well as farming, for subsistence. Other occupational names were derived from an object associated with a particular activity. This type of surname is called a metonymic
surname. This surname applies to a variety of occupations. In the case of a merchant, the surname Zellars derives from an ancient derivitave of the Old English word, sell(en),
which means, to sell.
It also comes from the Old English word, sellan,
which means to hand over, or deliver.
In the sense of a person who worked in cellars, Zellars is a metonymic occupational name, which comes from the Anglo Norman French word, celler.
The cellars referred to in this example, would have been in mansions and other great houses. In the final case, that of a saddler, the surname Zellars comes from the Anglo Norman French word, seller,
which is a derivative of the Latin word sellarius,
which means seat,
This ancient occupation
was extremely important in the Middle Ages, as horses were the primary mode of transportation.
Early Origins of the Zellars family
The surname Zellars was first found in Aberdeenshire
(Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland
, where they held a family seat
from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland
to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Early History of the Zellars family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zellars research.Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1281, 1482, 1630, 1698, 1671, 1646 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Zellars History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Zellars Spelling Variations
Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred
years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations
are common among Scottish names. Zellars has been spelled Sellers, Sellars, Sellors and others.
Early Notables of the Zellars family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the Clan
at this time was Colin Sellars of Aberdeen; and John Seller (ca. 1630-1698), English hydrographer and compass maker who published the first sailing directions... Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Zellars Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Zellars family to Ireland
Some of the Zellars family moved to Ireland
, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 77 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Zellars family to the New World and Oceana
In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence
. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan
societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Zellars: George Sellars settled in Philadelphia in 1854; Thomas Sellars arrived in Philadelphia in 1880; John Sellers arrived in Philadelphia in 1827; Thomas Sellers settled in Philadelphia in 1846.
Contemporary Notables of the name Zellars (post 1700)
- B. B. Zellars, American Democrat politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Georgia, 1940 CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html