Show ContentsPolson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Viking-Scottish name Polson is derived from the personal name Paul. This name, which is derived from the Norse name Pál, was very popular among the Northmen.

Early Origins of the Polson family

The surname Polson was first found in Caithness (Gaelic: Gallaibh), the northern tip of Scotland, a Norse/Viking controlled region from the 9th century, which became the Earldom of Caithness, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Polson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Polson research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1456 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Polson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Polson Spelling Variations

The spellings of Scottish names dating from the medieval era often bear little resemblance to those seen today. They vary enormously because scribes in that time spelled according to their ears. Some spelling variations of the name Polson include Polson, Poulson, Poulsen, Poulsin, Poleson, Pole and many more.

Early Notables of the Polson family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

  • William Polson, Chieftain

Polson Ranking

In the United States, the name Polson is the 6,526th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


United States Polson migration to the United States +

The farms of Scottish settlers soon dotted the east coast of the colonies that would become the nations of the United States and Canada. Many of those migrants and their children went on to play important roles in the founding the great nations of North America. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Scottish name Polson or a variant listed above, including:

Polson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Andrew Polson, who settled in Maryland in 1674
Polson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Elizabeth Polson, who settled in Maryland in 1718 with her husband
  • Zachariah Polson, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1772 with his wife Catherine

Australia Polson migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Polson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Isabella Polson, (Ewan, McEwan), Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Buffalo" on 4th May 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
  • Daniel Polson, aged 40, a mason, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Dirigo" 3

New Zealand Polson 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:

Polson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Polson, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 4
  • Mrs. Polson, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow with 4 children aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Polson (post 1700) +

  • Ralph Polson (b. 1929), American former NBA basketball player
  • Alexander Polson, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Washington, 1912, 1916 5
  • Mr. Robert Polson, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1452 to 1453
  • Florence Ada Mary Lamb Polson (1877-1941), New Zealand rural women's advocate
  • Lynn Polson (b. 1962), Canadian basketball player at the 1984 Summer Olympics
  • Clarence Percival "Clarrie" Polson, New Zealand rugby league player, active 1920 to 1924 when he represented his country
  • Sir William John Polson KCMG (1875-1960), New Zealand politician
  • Colonel Sir Thomas Andrew Polson KBE, CMG, TD (1865-1946), British author, Member of Parliament for Dover (1921 – 1922)
  • Cecily Polson, Australian actress, known for her work in Muriel's Wedding (1994), See No Evil (2006) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)
  • Nicholas Polson, British statistician
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/buffalo
  3. South Australian Register Thursday 23rd November 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Dirigo 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/dirigo1854.shtml
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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