Show ContentsCampion History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Campion reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Campion is for a champion. In the Middle Ages, a common way of settling disputes was through trial by combat. Thus, proficient fighters would sell their services to represent parties involved in such cases by fighting on their behalf. The word derives from the Anglo-Norman French word, "campion," of the same meaning.

Early Origins of the Campion family

The surname Campion was first found in Bedfordshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Campion family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Campion research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Campion History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Campion Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Champion, Campion and others.

Early Notables of the Campion family

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

Campion Ranking

In the United States, the name Campion is the 8,666th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Campion is ranked the 1,432nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,018 people with that name. 2


United States Campion migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Campion Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Campion, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Bona Nova" 3
  • Jean Campion who settled in Virginia in 1621 with his wife and four children, and his brother Philip and his wife and one child
  • Richard Campion, who landed in Virginia in 1622 3
  • William Campion, who landed in Virginia in 1658 3
  • William Campion, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 3
Campion Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Campion, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 3
  • German Campion, aged 29, who landed in Virginia in 1773 3
Campion Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Catharine Campion, who arrived in New York, NY in 1836 3
  • Bridget Campion, aged 35, who landed in New York in 1854 3
  • Bridget Campion, who arrived in New York in 1854
  • Alice Campion, aged 3, who arrived in New York in 1862 3
  • James Campion, aged 7, who arrived in New York in 1862 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Campion Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Henry Campion, (b. 1903), aged Infant, Cornish settler, from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 2nd August 1903 en route to Middletown, Connecticut, USA 4
  • Miss Lillie Campion, (b. 1873), aged 30, Cornish settler, from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 2nd August 1903 en route to Middletown, Connecticut, USA 4
  • Mr. Stephen Campion, (b. 1901), aged 2, Cornish settler, from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 2nd August 1903 en route to Middletown, Connecticut, USA 4
  • A. Campion, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1906
  • Anna Campion, aged 25, who landed in America from Freshford, Ireland, in 1909
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Campion migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Campion Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Pierre Campion, (b. 1613), aged 30, French settler travelling to Canada for work arriving on 6th April 1643 5
Campion Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Arthur G. Campion, who settled in Ontario in 1871
Campion Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Adelaide E. Campion, aged 62, who immigrated to Belleville, Ontario, Canada in 1911

Australia Campion migration to Australia +

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

Campion Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Campion, (b. 1829), aged 23, English agricultural labourer who was convicted in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England for 10 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 9th Mary 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 6
  • Ellen Campion, aged 27, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lismoyne"
  • James Campion, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Nimroud"
  • Patrick Campion, aged 44, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Navarino" 7
  • Catherine Campion, aged 15, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Navarino" 7

New Zealand Campion 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:

Campion Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Maria Campion, (b. 1855), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd July 1856 8
  • Mr. George Emblen Campion, (b. 1829), aged 27, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd July 1856 8
  • Mrs. Anne Hannah Campion, (b. 1833), aged 23, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd July 1856 8
  • Mr. John Campion, (b. 1855), aged 1, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd July 1856 8
  • E.J. Campion, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1861
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Campion migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 9
Campion Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • William Campion, who settled in Barbados with his wife and servants in 1680
  • Camberlin Campion, who settled in Barbados in 1680
  • Cornelius Campion, aged 27, who landed in Jamaica in 1684 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Campion (post 1700) +

  • Jane Campion (b. 1954), New Zealand film director who has over 101 awards including two Academy Award, three BAFTA Film Awards, three Critic's Choice Awards, tow Golden Globe Awards
  • John Joseph Campion (1963-2020), Irish-born, American entrepreneur who founded Showpower, Inc., a California company that provided portable generators for comcerts
  • Washington Lee Campion, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from West Virginia 2nd District, 1946 10
  • Thomas H. Campion, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for New York, 1900 10
  • John P. Campion, American politician, Warden (borough president) of Unionville, Connecticut, 1926 10
  • James W. Campion, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Hanover, 1938; Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Hanover, 1956 10
  • James Campion Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Hanover, 1956 10
  • James Campion, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Schuylkill County Democratic Party, 1927; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1928 10
  • Emmett Campion, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1952 10
  • Charles Robert Campion (1951-2020), English food critic who wrote for The Times, The Independent, and the Evening Standard
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Campion 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: Pro rege et patria
Motto Translation: For King and country.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  5. Debien, Gabriel. Liste Des Engagés Pour Le Canada Au XVIIe Siècle. Vol. 6, Laval University, 1952. (Retreived 24th May 2018). Retrieved from https://lebloguedeguyperron.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/130-liste-des-contrats-dengagement-pour-la-nouvelle-france-releves-a-la-rochelle-entre-1634-et-1679/
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  7. South Australian Register. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Navarino 1857. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/navarino1857.shtml
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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