Kemslay History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsKemslay is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a person whose father was a knight or soldier. The surname Kemslay was originally derived from the Old English word kemp, which came from the Old English word cempa, which means warrior and occasionally means athlete or wrestler. 1 The name also features the popular patronymic suffix -son, which was most common in the north of England and superseded other patronymic suffixes in prominence during the 14th century. Early Origins of the Kemslay familyThe surname Kemslay was first found in Kempston, parishes in Bedfordshire and Norfolk. "This parish [in Bedfordshire], in the Domesday Survey Camestone, comprises about 5000 acres; the soil in the valley of the Ouse is gravelly, and in other parts clay." 2 The first record of the family was Peter de Kemeston who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1190. Years later the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Berkshire listed Simon de Kempston and later again, Symond Kempston was listed in 1426 in the Paston Letters and Papers of the Fifteenth Century. 3 Richard Kemson was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 1 Early History of the Kemslay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kemslay research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1661, 1662, 1683, 1684, 1726, 1728 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kemslay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kemslay Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Kemslay has appeared include Kempson, Kempston, Kimpson, Kempton, Kempstone and many more. Early Notables of the Kemslay familyMore information is included under the topic Early Kemslay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kemslay family to IrelandSome of the Kemslay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Kemslay familyAt this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Kemslay arrived in North America very early: John Kempson who settled in Virginia in 1734; John Kempson settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1856; A. Kempton settled in Savannah, Georgia in 1821.
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