The Chase Family History

What Does the Chase Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Chase is of English origin and derives from the Old French word 'chacier', which translates to hunt, capture, or seize. Its antecedent in Latin is 'captare'. The surname appears in various forms, including Chacey, Chasie, Chases, Chace, Chasey, and Chaises. Historically, the majority of Chase families in England have resided in regions such as Norfolk, the City of London, Suffolk, Hampshire, Sussex, and Middlesex. In Scotland, the surname is predominantly found in West Lothian, Lanarkshire, and Ayrshire. In the United States, individuals bearing the Chase surname are largely concentrated in states including Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, and California. Notable individuals with this surname include Chevy Chase (comedian, actor, and writer), Jonathan Chase (a colonel during the American Revolutionary War), Lucia Chase (co-founder of the American Ballet Theatre), Martha Chase (who demonstrated the genetic basis of DNA), Qiana Chase (model), Samuel Chase (a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence), and Mary Chase (playwright).