Contents [hide]

Pierson History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Pierson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Pierson reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Pierson family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Pierson is based on the French given name Pierre, which is equivalent to the English Peter as in son of Peter or Pierre.1 2 3

Early Origins of the Pierson family

The surname Pierson was first found in Berwickshire where the name was derived as "son of Pier." Walter Pierson of Berwickshire rendered homage to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. 4 However, some of the family were found at early times in Lancashire, specifically at the township of Shevington where "Crook Hall was the seat of the Pearsons." 5

In Somerset, early rolls there listed Walter Peressone and Richard Peresone, both 1 Edward III, (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 6

In Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls from 1379 included: Robertus Perisson. 7

Early History of the Pierson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pierson research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1369, 1472, 1506, 1529, 1537, 1540, 1541, 1542, 1544, 1545, 1567, 1587, 1590, 1592, 1594, 1604, 1612, 1613, 1628, 1634, 1642, 1647, 1648, 1650, 1651, 1657, 1662, 1665, 1667, 1670, 1677, 1686, 1720 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pierson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pierson Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Pierson are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Pierson include Pearson, Peerson, Pierson, Peirson and others.

Early Notables of the Pierson family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Andrew Peerson or Pierson (d. 1594), an English divine, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He "graduated B.A. from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1540-1541 or 1542, and M.A. in 1544 o...
Martin Peerson, Pierson or Pearson (1590-1651), was an English musical composer from March, Cambridgeshire. "He graduated Mus. Bac. from Lincoln College, Oxford, in 1613. Fulke Greville, first lord Br...
John Pearson (1613-1686), Bishop of Chester, was born at Great Snoring in Norfolk on 28 Feb. 1612-13, and was baptised on 12 March. His father, Robert Pearson, Person, or Pierson, a native of Whinfell...

Pierson Ranking

In the United States, the name Pierson is the 1,163^rd most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 8 However, in France, the name Pierson is ranked the 1,020^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,221 people with that name. 9

Migration of the Pierson family to Ireland

Some of the Pierson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pierson migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Pierson, or a variant listed above:

Pierson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Cuthbert Pierson, who settled in Virginia in 1623
Cutbert Pierson, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 10
Abraham Pierson, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1639 10
Abraham Pierson, who settled in New England in 1639
Henry Pierson, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1639 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pierson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Laurans Pierson, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 10

Pierson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jane Pierson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 10
Thomas Pierson, aged 38, who landed in Maryland in 1812 10
William Pierson, aged 46, who arrived in New York in 1812 10
Jacob Pierson, aged 34, who landed in New York in 1812 10
Ole Pierson, aged 33, who landed in New York, NY in 1837 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pierson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pierson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Joseph Pierson, who settled in Halifax Nova Scotia in 1774

Pierson migration to Australia +

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

Pierson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Pierson, aged 39, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Lord of the Isles" 11
Robert Pierson, aged 17, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Lord of the Isles" 11

Pierson 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:

Pierson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Pierson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 1st December 1852 12

Contemporary Notables of the name Pierson (post 1700) +

William J. Pierson, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1920
William Pierson, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Tioga County, 1852
William Pierson, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Greene County, 1833
William Pierson, American politician, Village President of Coldwater, Michigan, 1843-44
Walter Pierson, American politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Norwich, 1946
W. S. Pierson, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1868
W. R. Pierson Jr., American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Braxton County, 1921
Vern Pierson, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 2008
Truman Pierson, American politician, Candidate for Minnesota State Senate 33rd District, 1942
Tommie Pierson, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Mayor of Bellefontaine Neighbors, Missouri, 2007; Member of Missouri State House of Representatives 66th District; Elected 2012
... (Another 86 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Pierson family +

HMS Royal Oak

Albert James Pierson (d. 1939), British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 13

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. 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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
South Australian Register Monday 14th August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lord of the Isles 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/jamesfernie1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html