This surname is derived from an official title. 'the chamberlain,' literally one who had care of a chamber; he who had charge of his lord's receipts and issues, a treasurer; v. Chambers, where 'de la chambre,' though local in form, is practically official, and frequently meant the chamberlain.

Walter le Chamberlayn, Lincolnshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Martin le Chaumberleyn, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Geoffrev de Chamberlang, Wiltshire, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Ivo le Chaumberleyn, Warwickshire ibid.

Henry le Chamberlein, Buckinghamshire, Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Johannes Chaumburlayne, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

The following eight variations occur in one register:

Colly Chamberlain: St. Peter, Cornhill.

Anne Chamberlaine: ibid.

William Chamberlane: ibid.

Mary Chamberlayne: ibid.

Elizabeth Chamberlen: ibid.

Grace Chamberlin: ibid.

Edward Chamberline: ibid.

Alice Chamberlyn: ibid.

From the office, OF. chamberlenc, Latin camerarius. The office of royal chamberlain was one of great responsibility in virtue of the fact that until the reign of James I he managed the king's revenue and was head of the Exchequer. The great nobles, also, had each a chamberlain who looked after his lord's business affairs. John Camerarius witnessed a confirmation charter by William the Lion, c. 1175 (REA., I, p. 9). Walter Camerarius witnessed a charter by Eschina, wife of Walter Fitz Alan, before 1177 (RMP., p. 74). Menzeis Chammerlan appears in Caldystarris, 1532 (Rental). The surname was never common in Scottish records.

Camerarius, an official title. We encounter in Domesday a bewildering number of Chamberlains. Besides two mesne-lords, Adeloldus and Girardus (one in Kent, and the other in Gloucester), no fewer than twelve held in capite; Aiulphus in Dorsetshire; Alwold in Berkshire; Albericus (the Queen’s Chamberlain) in Wilts and Hampshire; Bernard, Goisfrid, and Herbertus, all three likewise in Hampshire; Gondwinus in Suffolk; Hunfrid in nine different counties; Siric again in Hants; Turstin in Hants, Wiltshire, and Bedfordshire; Willelmus in Bucks, Gloucester, and Beds; and, finally, Odinus in Wilts. From their names, we may judge that two or three of these were of Saxon origin; and Aiulph had been Sheriff under Edward the Confessor. His barony consisted of seventeen manors—one of them named from him Ham Chamberlayne—and Blankney was the head of the honour. Herbert was the ancestor of the Herberts (see Fitz Herbert). Goisfrid was the chamberlain of a princess unnoticed by any of our historians, Matilda, the daughter of William the Conqueror. Of the others that held in Hampshire, I can find nothing in Woodward’s history of the county, except (as is probable) the following notice should refer to one of their descendants: “About 1296, a leading landowner in the neighbourhood of Southampton was Robert Chamberlain, or de Chaumberlyn, as he is on one record oddly enough called. He held Netley by service of the King’s chamber. At Farley-Chamberlyne, by the same service, he held of the King’s gift lands worth 40s. His grandfather Peter Chamberlyne had held three fees temp. Hen. II.” Compton-Chamberlyne, in Wilts, took its name from “D’n’s Rob’tus le Chaumberlayne.” Morant tells us that “before the year 1165 Hen. II. had given the Honour of Eudo Dapifer to Henry, son of Gerold the Chamberlain, who married Ermentruda, daughter and heir of Robert Talebot of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. He left Alice his daughter and sole heir, married to Robert de Lisle, from whom descended the Lisles Lords of Rugemont in Bedfordshire.”—History of Essex.

A well-known officer of state,, in royal and noble houses and courts. There are several distinct families bearing the surname. Aiulfus Camerarius (the latinized form) was a tenant in chief in co. Dorset, and probably the Conqueror's own chamberlain. One of his possessions in that county is still called Hampreston-Chamberlaine. Ellis, Introd. Domesd. The Chamberlaynes of Maugersbury claim from John, count of Tancarville, whose descendants were hereditary chamberlains to kings Henry I., Stephen, and Henry II. The office of the camerarius was to take charge of the king's camera or treasury, and answered to the treasurer of the household at present. Kelham. Besides Aiulfus above mentioned, at least five other tenants in capite so designated occur in Domesday.

Chamberlain,Chambers. —As these names have much the same signification, I will consider them together. They are scarce or absent in the north and in the south - west of England; but are scattered over the rest of the country, and evidently the one supplies the place of the other, since they rarely occur in any frequency in the same county. Chamberlain occurs most commonly in Leicestershire and Rutlandshire; whilst Chambers is best represented in Suffolk, Worcestershire, and Notts.