Chaucer Family History

From Old French chaucier ‘maker of chausses’ an agent derivative of Old French chauces ‘breeches, pantaloons, hose’. In 1484 these were ‘chauces of yron or legge harneys’ (OED).

Middle English chauce was a general term for anything worn on the feet: boots, shoes, hose, or leggings. As Baldwin le Chaucer (1307 London Letter Books B) was of Cordwanerstrete, the early chaucer was probably a worker in leather, a maker of leather breeches, boots, etc.