| ![Show Contents]() Kitson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The origins of the name Kitson are with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from Kit, a diminutive of the name Christopher. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, Old English personal names declined in popularity to be replaced by the new Christian names that they brought with them. One of these was Christopher. Early Origins of the Kitson familyThe surname Kitson was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Kitson familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kitson research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1270, 1359, 1485, 1520, 1540, 1835, 1907 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Kitson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kitson Spelling VariationsThe first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Kitson has been spelled many different ways, including Kitson, Kidson, Kydson, MacKett, MacCeit and others. Early Notables of the Kitson familyNotables of the family at this time include - Sir James Kitson, 1st Baronet (1835-1911) (created 1st Baron Airedale in 1907.) Sir Thomas Kytson (1485-1540) as Sheriff of London, son of Robert Kytson of Warton, Lancashire1...
Kitson RankingIn the United States, the name Kitson is the 14,580th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2  Migration of the Kitson family to Ireland
Some of the Kitson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Kitson migration to the United States | + |
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Kitsons to arrive in North America:
Kitson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Merma Kitson, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 3
- Marmaduke Kitson, who landed in Virginia in 1639 3
Kitson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Mary Kitson, who settled in Virginia in 1768
Kitson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mark Kitson, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1827 3
- Nathan Kitson, who landed in Indiana in 1834 3
- George, James, Nathan and Thomas Kitson, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860
| Kitson migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Kitson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Miss Jane Kitson, English convict who was convicted in Hertfordshire, England for life for theft with violence, transported aboard the "Broxbournebury" in January 1814, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
- Mr. Michael Kitson, British convict who was convicted in Buckinghamshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 1st October 1829, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
- John Kitson, aged 25, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Sultana" 6
- Henry Kitson, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Confiance" 7
- Bridget Kitson, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Confiance" 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Kitson migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Kitson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- John Kitson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
- Robert Kitson, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1860
- William Kitson, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edwin Fox" in 1875
| Contemporary Notables of the name Kitson (post 1700) | + |
- Frank Kitson (1872-1930), American professional baseball player
- General Sir Frank Edward Kitson GBE, KCB, MC & Bar, DL (1926-2024), British Army officer and writer on military subjects, Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces from 1982 to 1985 and was Aide-de-Camp General to Queen Elizabeth II from 1983 to 1985
- James Kitson (1835-1911), British Chemist, created Lord Airedale in 1907
- Sir Timothy Peter Geoffrey Kitson (b. 1931), British politician, member of the UK Parliament
- Harold Austin Kitson (1874-1951), South African tennis player, who won a gold medal at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics
- Thomas Kitson Cromwell (1792-1870), English dissenting minister and antiquary
- Richard Kitson Sledge (b. 1930), retired American Anglican priest
| Historic Events for the Kitson family | + |
- Mr. Herbert Kitson (1875-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 8
- Miss Monica Kitson (1910-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 8
- Mrs. Ada Mary Kitson (1884-1914), née Long Canadian Third Class Passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 8
- Lee, Sir Stanley, Dictionary of National Biography. London: The MacMillan Company 1909. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/broxbournebury
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
- South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SULTANA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/sultana1852.shtml
- South Australian Register Wednesday 13th September 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Confiance 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/confiance1854.shtml
- Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
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Kitson migration to the United States 
Kitson migration to Australia 
Kitson migration to New Zealand 
England
Scotland
Ireland
