Chas.

Writing & Everyday abbreviation · Given Name

Chas. stands for Charles, a given name abbreviation.

Clerks, printers and sign painters wrote Charles this way in older documents, business names, newspapers and signatures. It is still seen on vintage shop signs, product labels and advertisements from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Example: The firm began as Chas. Pfizer & Co., founded in Brooklyn in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and his cousin.

Usage notes

The abbreviation keeps the opening Ch and the final s, a pattern scribes applied to many names. Latin parish registers record the name as Carolus, the source of the adjective Caroline for the reigns of Charles I and II. In Britain, "Chas" is also a spoken nickname for Charles.

Related abbreviations

More given name abbreviations

• Alexr. – Alexander
• Benj. – Benjamin
• Danl. – Daniel
• Edw. – Edward
• Eliz. – Elizabeth
• Fredk. – Frederick
• Geo. – George
• Hy. – Henry
• Jas. – James
• Jno. – John
• Jos. – Joseph
• Margt. – Margaret

See all 19 given name abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.