Contents [hide]

Bisset History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Bisset History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Scotland were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Scottish patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. The surname Bisset is derived from the name "Byset or Bisset, a baronial name well known both in England and Normandy, and though not written in Domesday, to be met with as early as the reign of Henry I. William Biset, in 1130, held lands in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire." 1

"Sir Thomas Gray in his Scalacronica states that William the Lion in 1174, on his return from captivity in Falaise and in England, brought back young Englishmen of family to seek their fortune in the Scottish Court; and among these were named the "Biseys". The first of the name recorded in Scotland is Henricus Byset, who witnessed a charter by William the Lion granted before 1198. His son, John Byset, who witnessed a charter by Henry de Graham in 1204, was the individual who obtained from the king the grant of lands in the north." 2

Early Origins of the Bisset family

The surname Bisset was first found in Ross-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois) a former county, now part of the Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles in Northern Scotland, which emerged from the Gaelic lordship of the Earl of Ross.

One of the first records of the family was Baldred Bisset or Bissait (fl. 1303), a native of the county of Stirling who became Rector of Kinghorn, in the diocese of St. Andrews. "When in 1300 and 1301 a discussion arose between the pope Boniface VIII, King Edward of England, and the Scottish government, with regard to the independence of Scotland, Bisset was appointed one of the commissioners to the Pope to represent the claims of Scotland. " 3

Thomas de Bessat witnessed a Paisley charter a. 1204, and in 1224 William Bisseth witnessed confirmation by Alexander II of a yar super Leven. Walter Biset witnessed a charter by Alexander II concerning the levying of tolls at the Cross of Schedenestun (Shettleston) in 1226, and in 1232 Walter Byseth and William Byset witnessed a charter by Alexander II to Gylandris MacLod in Brechin. 2

"In 1242 the power of the Bissets was brought to a sudden end, though they still continued to be a family of importance. At a tournament held at Haddington in that year Walter Byset, lord of Aboyne, was worsted by the young earl of Atholl. In revenge Byset is stated to have burned the house in which the earl slept, and the earl with it. For this crime Walter Byset and his nephew, John Byset (founder of the Priory of Beauly in 1231), were exiled the kingdom, their property devolving to others of the family. At the desire of Sir William Byset and to free him of suspicion of guilt, Ralph, bishop of Aberdeen excommunicated those who had partaken of the murder of the earl at Haddington." 2

Sir William Bisset ( Byset or Bissett), son of Robert Bisset of Upsettlington, was a Scottish knight, Sheriff of Clackmannan (1303-1304), Sheriff of Stirling (1304-1305) and Constable of Stirling Castle (1305-1307.)

Further south in England, Manser or Manasser Bisset, Lord of Kidderminster in Worcestershire, was Sewer to King Stephen, and in 1165 held a fee at Chaucy in the bailifry of Coutances. He was "one of the Witnesses to the Accord made betwixt that King and Henry Duke of Normandy, touching the Succession of the said Henry to the Crown of this Realm." Henry had no heir, and was succeeded by another Henry, his nephew, and then by John Biset, Chief Forester of England under Henry III., mentioned "at the great Tournament held at Northampton in 1241, occasioned by Peter de Savoy, Earl of Richmond, against Earl Roger Bigod." 1

Early History of the Bisset family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bisset research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1170, 1174, 1198, 1230, 1242, 1279, 1291, 1305, 1362, 1365, 1366, 1395, 1400, 1486, 1568, 1679, 1758, 1771, 1775, 1779, 1782 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Bisset History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bisset Spelling Variations

The frequent translations of surnames from and into Gaelic, accounts for the multitude of spelling variations found in Scottish surnames. Furthermore, the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent because medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. The different versions of a surname, such as the inclusion of the patronymic prefix "Mac", frequently indicated a religious or Clan affiliation, or even a division of the family. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into Scotland, accelerating accentuating the alterations to various surnames. The name Bisset has also been spelled Bissett, Bisset, Bisside, Bisseth, Bizet, Biseth and others.

Early Notables of the Bisset family

Notable among the family at this time was

Peter Bisset, Bissat or Bissart (d. 1568), Professor of Canon Law in the University of Bologna, Italy. He was a native of the county of Fife, and a descendant by a previous marriage of Sir Thomas Biss...
Alexander Bissett of East Calder, was banished to the Carolinas in 1679

Migration of the Bisset family to Ireland

Some of the Bisset family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 118 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bisset migration to the United States +

Some of the first North American settlers with Bisset name or one of its variants:

Bisset Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elly Bisset who settled in Carolina in 1695

Bisset Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Bisset, who settled in New England in 1752

Bisset Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Bisset, aged 32, who arrived in New York in 1812 4
Robert Bisset, aged 34, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1874 4

Bisset migration to Australia +

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

Bisset Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Bisset, Scottish Convict from Scotland, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5

Bisset 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:

Bisset Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Christopher Bisset, (b. 1834), aged 28, Scottish shepherd, from Stirlingshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 6
Mrs. Ann Bisset, (b. 1835), aged 27, Scottish shepherd, from Stirlingshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 6
Mr. William Bisset, (b. 1842), aged 32, Scottish farm labourer, from Aberdeen travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 7
Mrs. Bisset, (b. 1843), aged 31, Scottish settler, from Aberdeen travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 7
Miss Margaret Bisset, (b. 1871), aged 3, Scottish settler, from Aberdeen travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bisset (post 1700) +

Jack Bisset (1900-1966), Australian rules footballer
Jacqueline Bisset (b. 1944), English four-time Golden Globe nominated and Emmy Award nominated actress, recipient of the Légion d'honneur in 2010
Sir James Gordon Partridge Bisset KT, CBE, RD, RNR, LL.D (1883-1967), British merchant sea captain who served as Commodore of the Cunard White Star Line (1944–47)
Donald Bisset (1910-1995), British children's book writer, artist, stage director and actor
Andrew Bisset (1953-2005), Australian author, music educator and singer

The Bisset 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: Reviresco
Motto Translation: I flourish again.

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
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)
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html