Christison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The history of the name Christison begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from Christopher, an ancient and popular personal name which has been popular for many years as literally, the name means 'Bearer of Christ'.
Early Origins of the Christison family
The surname Christison was first found in Yorkshire where Robertus Cristianson is regarded as the first of the family, recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. Just accross the border in Scotland, "Henry Cristeson held a tenement in Stirling in 1412, Alexander Cristini, burgess of Brechin in 1436 is probably the Alexander Cristisone or Cristysoun who appears as a witness in the same town in 1446 and 1447. In the Scots text he is Alexander Cristysoun and in the notary's Latin note he is Alexandra Cristini John Crysteson was burgess of Edinburgh in 1450. " 1
Early History of the Christison family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Christison research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1312, 1324, 1412, 1446, 1450, 1455, 1479, 1514, 1525, 1531, 1569, 1797 and 1882 are included under the topic Early Christison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Christison 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. Christison has been recorded under many different variations, including Christison, Cristeson, Cristisone, Cristysoun, Cristerson, Cristianson, Cristensone, Crystison, Crysteson, Cristison, Cristyson and many more.
Early Notables of the Christison family
Notables of this surname at this time include:
- Sir Robert Christison (1797-1882), the renowned Scottish toxicologist and physician
Christison migration to the United States +
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 Christison or a variant listed above:
Christison Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- William Christison, who arrived in Wisconsin in 1879 2
- Wm. Christison, aged 29, who landed in America from Dumbarton, in 1893
Christison Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Peter Christison, aged 38, who immigrated to the United States from Peebles Scotland, in 1905
- Thomas Christison, aged 3, who immigrated to the United States from Bathgate, Scotland, in 1910
- William Christison, aged 34, who landed in America from Berwick, Scotland, in 1912
- Margaret Christison, aged 27, who settled in America from Dundee, Scotland, in 1912
- Robert Christison, aged 30, who landed in America from Dunder, Scotland, in 1912
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Christison 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:
Christison Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Peter Christison, aged 36, a baker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifton" in 1842
- Lydia Christison, aged 24, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifton" in 1842
- P. Christison, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Belle Creole" in 1853
Contemporary Notables of the name Christison (post 1700) +
- James A. Christison, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Florida 6th District, 1978 3
- Kathleen Christison (b. 1941), American political analyst and author
- Dan Christison (b. 1972), American mixed martial artist
- Sir Robert Alexander Christison (1870-1945), 3rd Baronet of Moray Place, Edinburgh
- Sir Alexander Christison (1828-1918), 2nd Baronet of Moray Place, Edinburgh
- Robert Christison (1837-1915), Scottish-born, Australian pastoralist
- Sir Robert Christison FRSE FRCSE FRCPE (1797-1882), 1st Baronet of Moray Place, Scottish toxicologist and physician, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- General Sir Alexander Frank Philip Christison GBE CB DSO MC (1893-1993), 4th Baronet of Moray Place, British military commander of the Second World War
- Brigadier Frederick Hay Christison (b. 1891), Australian Commanding Officer 6th Lines of Communication Sub-Area From 1942 to 1943 4
- Sir Bernard Christison Jenkin M.P. (b. 1959), British Member of Parliament for Harwich and North East, was appointed a Knight Bachelor on 8th June 2018, for political and public service 5
Historic Events for the Christison family +
- Mr. John Maxwell Christison (1918-1941), Australian Ordinary Seaman from Northgate, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 6
The Christison 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: Vitam dirigit
Motto Translation: Life directs
Citations +
- 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)
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, August 30) Frederick Christison. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Christison/Frederick_Hay/Australia.html
- "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 4 July 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1
- HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp