Contents [hide]

Robson History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Robson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestors of the first family to use the name Robson lived among the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The name Robson comes from the personal name Robert. This name is composed of the old English elements hroth, which means fame, and berht, which means bright. Although this Clan had the early appearance of being English, the Robsons were one of the four principal Clans of the North Tyne area just south of the Scottish Border in the sixteenth century. Their progenitor was Robert, the second son of George Gunn, the Crowner of Scotland. The Gunn Clan territories were in northern Scotland and they were of Norse origin together with their overlords, the Sinclairs.

Early Origins of the Robson family

The surname Robson was first found in Northumberland, where the name was quite distinct from both Robinson and Robertson, although in early records of the Clan the Robson name was frequently spelled Robison, literally Robi's son.

"Northumberland is the great home of the Robsons, particularly the district of North Tyne, where they have been established since the 12th or 13th century (C.). They formed one of the four principal clans of North Tyne in the 16th century, and were the hereditary foes of the Armstrongs of Liddesdale on the Scottish side of the border. Though scattered over Northumberland, the Robsons are still numerous in North Tyne; and in the parish of Falstone, where as 'lairds' they have held property for some 400 years, they are yet well represented. The name has obtained but little hold across the border, but it has extended southward in force into the county of Durham; it reaches Yorkshire in diminished numbers, and dies out in Lincolnshire." 1

In Scotland, the name first appears soon after the death of George Gunn in the 15th century: Patrick Robson was recorded in 1436, Donald Robson in 1446 and Wyllie Robyson witnessed a feud in 1476. From this point the Clan flourished on both sides of the border, with the Chiefly branch on the Scottish side. It is not altogether surprising that with this Clan straddling the England-Scotland border a John and Edward Robison were charged with defrauding the king's customs in 1524. 2

"The English Robsons formed one of the four principal clans of North Tyne in the sixteenth century. In Bullein's Dialogue they are described as 'a wight riding sirname, good honest men and true, saving a little shifting for their living.' " 2

Early History of the Robson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Robson research. Another 331 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1567, 1587, 1590, 1597, 1598, 1600, 1604, 1613, 1615, 1616, 1619, 1620, 1623, 1629, 1633, 1638, 1650, 1654 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Robson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Robson Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Robson has been spelled Robson, Robison, Robeson, Robisonn and others.

Early Notables of the Robson family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Charles Robson (1598-1638), English divine, first chaplain at Aleppo, of Cumberland parentage, the son of Thomas Robson, master of the Free School of Carlisle. "Born in 1598, having entered Queen's Co...

Robson World Ranking

In the United States, the name Robson is the 4,261^st most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Robson is ranked the 902^nd most popular surname with an estimated 5,957 people with that name. 4 And in Australia, the name Robson is the 418^th popular surname with an estimated 8,919 people with that name. 5 New Zealand ranks Robson as 313^rd with 1,943 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Robson as 203^rd with 28,051 people. 7

Migration of the Robson family to Ireland

Some of the Robson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Robson migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, Ireland, Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Robson:

Robson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Robson, who landed in Maryland in 1662 8
Anne Robson, who landed in Maryland in 1679 8

Robson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Rowland Robson, who settled in Virginia in 1716
Rowland Robson, who arrived in Maryland in 1716 8
Robert Robson and Jane settled in Georgia with three children in 1775

Robson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gowen Robson, aged 19, who landed in New York in 1812 8
Robert Robson, aged 17, who landed in New York in 1812 8
Reuben Robson, who landed in New York in 1822 8
Margaret Robson, who arrived in New York in 1829 8
Isaac Robson, who arrived in New York in 1837 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Robson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Robson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Richard Robson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Robson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Robson, who landed in Canada in 1816

Robson migration to Australia +

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

Robson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Mary Robson, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Miss Alice Robson, (b. 1796), aged 18, English convict who was convicted in Northumberland, for 7 years, transported aboard the "Broxbournebury" in January 1814, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1889 10
Miss Maria Robson, English convict who was convicted in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Diana" on 4th December 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. David Robson, English convict who was convicted in Northumberland, England for life, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Blakely Robson, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1838 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Robson 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:

Robson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. H. Robson, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 14
Mrs. Robson, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 14
Samuel Robson, aged 25, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Seringapatam" in 1856
Miss Isabella Robson, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indiana" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1858 14
Mr. George Robson, (b. 1823), aged 35, British carpenter travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indiana" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1858 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Robson (post 1700) +

Thomas James "Tom" Robson (1946-2021), American Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter, coach and author
Stuart Robson (1836-1903), American comedic stage actor
Morton S. Robson, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, 1961
Judy Robson, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1996
John W. Robson, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Louisiana, 1916
John Robson, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Ontario County 1st District, 1879
John Robson, American Republican politician, Mayor of Lansing, Michigan, 1871, 1881; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1896
James A. Robson, American politician, Justice of New York Supreme Court 7th District, 1910-13
J. E. Robson, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kansas, 1916
C. Robson, American politician, Candidate for Circuit Judge in Michigan 5th Circuit, 1917
... (Another 37 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Robson family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. George Lisle Robson (1873-1914), English Third Class Passenger from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 15

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. S Robson, British Signalman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 16

HMS Repulse

Mr. John Robson, "Jack" British Signalman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 17
Mr. James Robson, British Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 17
Mr. George Robson, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 17
Mr. John Robson, British Leading Seaman Able Bodied, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 17
Mr. Ralph Stobart Robson (b. 1918), British Signalman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 17

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Kenneth Hamilton Stewart Robson, American 2nd Class passenger from Mount Vernon, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 18
Miss Annie Robson, American 2nd Class passenger from Mount Vernon, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 18

Senghenydd colliery

Mr. William Henry Robson (b. 1889), Welsh coal miner from Cardiff, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died

The Robson Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Justus esto et non metue
Motto Translation: Be just and fear not

Citations +

Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/broxbournebury
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diana
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANTON 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Canton.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/