The surname Chaucer is thought to have one of the following derivations:
The name Chaucer frequently occurs in the early Letter Books and in French language of the time it meant "shoemaker", which meaning is also recorded in the "Glossary of Anglo-Norman and Early English Words".[1]
From French 'chaussier', 'chaucier', a hosier[2][1]
May have arisen from 'chaufecire', 'chafewax', i.e. a clerk of the court of Chancery whose duty consisted in affixing seals to royal signature,[1][2] however Kern doubted this derivation, since the surname 'Chaucer' was too common [1]
The first two derivations are ultimately traced to Latin calcearium, "shoemaker".[1]
This page lists people with the surnameChaucer. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.