Deasson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Deasson is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Deasson family lived in Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). The family was originally from Osonvilla, near Dieppe, Normandy, and it is from the local form of this name, D'Oson, which means from Oson, that their name derives. 1

Early Origins of the Deasson family

The surname Deasson was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at North Bierely, a township, in the parish and union of Bradford, wapentake of Morley. "Royds Hall [in North Bierely], which has been for many years the residence of the Dawson family, was originally built by the Rookes." 2

Langcliffe was another ancestral seat of the family. "Langcliffe was parcel of the possessions of Sawley Abbey, and subsequently for a century and a half the property of the Dawsons, a family highly distinguished in point of alliances and personal desert. Whitaker gives a copy of verses, printed in 1690, by William Dawson, containing an account of a village destroyed by the Scots in the reign of Edward II." 2

The name is "a north of England name, mostly found in Cumberland and Westmoreland, Durham, West Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cheshire, and extending into central Scotland." 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had many early entries of the family: Johannes Dauson; Robertus Dauson; Johanna Dowedoghter; Osbarn Daweson; and Wallerus Daweson. "In the same village occur, among a few inhabitants: Robertas Doweson; and Willelmus Daweson." 4

Further to the north in Scotland, early record there revealed: "John Daweson was a merchant in the service of Archambaud, Earl of Douglas in 1405. John Dawson is recorded in Kethyk in 1466, and James Dawson was godson of King James IV. Duncan Dalsoun was coalman to the king in 1531. " 5

Early History of the Deasson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Deasson research. Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1466, 1531, 1541, 1568, 1571, 1576, 1578, 1607, 1624, 1637, 1658, 1659, 1662, 1671, 1677, 1699, 1700, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Deasson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Deasson Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Dawson, Daweson and others.

Early Notables of the Deasson family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Edward Dawson or Davison (1576?-1624?), English Jesuit, the only son of respectable parents, 'connected with Sir Anthony Staunden,' was born in London in 1576 or 1578. George Dawson (1637-1700), was...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Deasson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Deasson family to Ireland

Some of the Deasson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Deasson family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Deasson or a variant listed above: Edward Dawson who settled in Virginia in 1640; along with George in 1623; Jane in 1650; John in 1773; Richard in 1635; Robert in 1775; Thomas in 1638.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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)
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)