| ![Show Contents]() Reesor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Wales The Reesor surname comes from the Middle English, Old French word "raison," meaning "the power of reason;" as such it was most likely originally a nickname for an intelligent person. Early Origins of the Reesor familyThe surname Reesor was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat at Market, Middle and West Rasen which were held by Bishop Odo of Bayeux. The under tenant holding from the Bishop was Alfred of Lincoln, a Norman noble and, conjecturally, the Reason family are descended from him. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1202 when Robert de Rasene held estates in Lincolnshire. Early History of the Reesor familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reesor research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Reesor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Reesor Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Reason, Rasen, Rason, Rayson, Reson, Reasons, Resons, Reeson, Resen, Resun, Raysun, Rasne and many more. Early Notables of the Reesor familyMore information is included under the topic Early Reesor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Reesor familyMany English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Reesor or a variant listed above: Ralph Reason, who came to St. Christopher in 1635; James Reason, who arrived in Bermuda 1635; Henry Reason, who came to Virginia in 1635; Barbarie Reason, who arrived in Barbados in 1635.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Reesor (post 1700) | + |
- James E. Reesor, American politician, Independent Candidate for Governor of Tennessee, 1974 1
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