Shaler Family History

English (Middlesex): nickname for someone with a limp or a shambling gait from Middle English shailard, a side form of shailere ‘one who limps or shambles’ with the pejorative suffix -ard.

A possible alternative origin, however, is Old French eschaillier ‘oyster seller’ though there is no evidence for this in Middle English: the source verb eschaillier ‘to take the husk or shell off (something)’ ‘to shell oysters’ is paralleled in Middle English shalen.

This might have given rise to a noun shaler perhaps meaning ‘thresher’ or ‘oyster seller’ but it is not attested.

This surname is now rare in Britain.