Tennesson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Tennesson is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from the baptismal name for the son of Dennis, which was originally derived from the Latin Dionysius. In the religious naming tradition surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

Early Origins of the Tennesson family

The surname Tennesson was first found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, before and after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Tennesson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tennesson research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1636, 1640, 1642, 1644, 1645, 1673, 1685, 1694, 1697, 1698, 1705, 1714, 1715, 1735, 1809 and 1892 are included under the topic Early Tennesson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tennesson Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Tennesson has been recorded under many different variations, including Tennyson, Tenison, Tennison and others.

Early Notables of the Tennesson family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tennesson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tennesson family to Ireland

Some of the Tennesson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 152 words (11 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 Tennesson family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Tennesson or a variant listed above: John Tennison arrived in Philadelphia in 1850; John R. Tenison settled in Pennsylvania in 1850.

The Tennesson 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: Nil Temere
Motto Translation: Not Rashly.