Samon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Samon originated with the Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Solomon. Patronymic surnames arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. In the religious naming tradition, which was developed later than the vernacular tradition, surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

Early Origins of the Samon family

The surname Samon was first found in Cumberland and Surrey. The manor of Salmons in Caterham, county Surrey is known to have belonged temp. Edward III to Roger Saleman. 1 The Salmond family of Waterfoot, Cumberland are or French origin, one of their ancestors having fled to England during the persecutions of the Huguenots.

One of the first records of the family was John Salmon (died 1325), Bishop of Norwich and Chancellor, "was probably of humble origin; his parents' names were Soloman and Amicia or Alice. He became a monk at Ely and was elected prior of that house before 1291. On the death of William of Louth in 1298 the majority of the chapter chose Prior Salmon as their bishop, but the minority chose John Langton, the king's chancellor and afterwards bishop of Chichester. The archbishop decided in favour of Salmon. " 2

Early History of the Samon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Samon research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1644, 1648, 1675, 1679, 1690, 1706, 1713, 1742, 1767 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Samon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samon Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Samon has appeared include Salmon, Salman, Salmond, Samon and others.

Early Notables of the Samon family

Notables of the family at this time include William Salmon (1644-1713), known as the "professor of five wives," English maker of drugs with questionable credentials.Nathanael Salmon (1675-1742), was an English historian and antiquary, the son of Thomas Salmon (1648-1706), who married Katherine, daughter of Serjeant John Bradshaw. Thomas Salmon (1679-1767) was a brother. He was admitted at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, on 11 June 1690. Salmon paid particular attention to the study of Roman remains in Great Britain. Thomas Salmon...
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Samon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Samon family to Ireland

Some of the Samon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samon migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Samon arrived in North America very early:

Samon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Samon, who landed in Virginia in 1622 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Samon (post 1700) +

Samon Reider Rodríguez (b. 1988), Cuban footballer

The Samon 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: Optima sapientia probitas
Motto Translation: Probity is the best wisdom.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)