Jesson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The origins of the name Jesson are with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Judd, which was a pet form for the Old English personal name Jordan.
Early Origins of the Jesson family
The surname Jesson was first found in Yorkshire where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Willelraus Gesson as holding lands there at that time. 1
"Jesson was the name of a minister of Prestwold in the reign of Elizabeth. Two centuries ago Sir William Jesson resided at Burleigh Park, Loughborough." 2
Early History of the Jesson family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jesson research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1603, 1628, 1640, 1648, 1651, 1661, 1663, 1790 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Jesson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Jesson Spelling Variations
The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Jesson has been spelled many different ways, including Jesson, Jessen, Gesson and others.
Early Notables of the Jesson family
Distinguished members of the family include
- Sir William Jesson of Burley Park
- William Jesson (1580-1651), an English dyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1640 and (1640-1648)
Migration of the Jesson family to Ireland
Some of the Jesson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Jesson migration to the United States +
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Jessons to arrive in North America:
Jesson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Robert Jesson, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1740 3
Jesson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Henry Jesson to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1865
- George Jesson, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1866
Jesson migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Jesson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- George Jesson, English convict from Leicester, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4
Jesson 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:
Jesson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. Edward Jesson (Lesson), (b. 1836), aged 22, English labourer from Leicestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 5
Contemporary Notables of the name Jesson (post 1700) +
- Ralph William Jesson (1893-1985), American college head football coach at Loyola Marymount University in 1920
- Robert Wilfred Fairey Jesson (1886-1917), English cricketer who played in the early 1900s
- Paul Jesson (b. 1946), born Paul George Jackson, is an English Laurence Olivier Award winning stage, television and film actor
- Cornelius "Charles" Jesson (1862-1926), British politician, Member of Parliament for Walthamstow West (1918-1922)
- Bruce Jesson (1944-1999), New Zealand leftwing journalist, author and political figure
Citations +
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- 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)
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html