Dashiell

Dashiell is a surname in Maryland- it was Hammett's mother's maiden name.

James Dashiell and his wife Ann nee Cannon are the progenitors of the Dashiell family. Both his paternal grandparents who are born to French Huguenot families who fled from Lyon France to Scotland in 1595 from the mid 16th century until to late 16th century the family name had been De Chiel. When James immigrated to Northumberland Virginia in 1653 his surname became Dashiell.

Well, Dashiell is my last name, not first... but all of my family pronounces it Da-SHEEL, which to me feels right based on what we believe to be its origins.

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To my knowledge, the Dashiell name originated in/near Lyon, France. They were French Huguenots who fled after the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre in the 1570s. The name likely started out de Ciel... or de Chiell.. then changed to Da Chiell, to Da Shiell, to Dashiell as the generations moved from France to Scotland, to England, to Virginia, to Maryland, and then somewhat spread across the US.

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Anyway, that is what I have been taught! Hope it's helpful to someone.

Dashiell originates from, de Cheil, an old French surname. In Lucenay, France, there is a Rue de Chiel, Domaine de Chiel and a Chateau de Chiel. It is an old family name. In the U.S., there are a lot of people with the Dashiell surname in Maryland, which is where Samuel Dashiell Hammett, the writer, was born.