Bison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bison

What does the name Bison mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Bison comes from the family having resided at Bishton in Worcestershire.

Early Origins of the Bison family

The surname Bison was first found in Worcestershire where they held a family seat. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name, a contraction of the 12th century original Bissopeston, was first referenced in the year 1199.when William de Bissopeston held estates in Worcestershire.

Early History of the Bison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bison research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1221 and 1227 are included under the topic Early Bison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bison Spelling Variations

Bison has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Bisson, Bison, Bishopston, Bishton, Bisston and others.

Early Notables of the Bison family

More information is included under the topic Early Bison Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bison migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bisons to arrive on North American shores:

Bison Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Bison, who landed in Maryland in 1665 1

Sources +

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)