Lamson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Lamson is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the baptismal name Lambert. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.
Early Origins of the Lamson family
The surname Lamson was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
Early History of the Lamson family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lamson research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1379, 1626, 1689 and 1770 are included under the topic Early Lamson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Lamson Spelling Variations
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Lamson has undergone many spelling variations, including Lambson, Lampson, Lamson, Lambesune, Lambeson and others.
Early Notables of the Lamson family
More information is included under the topic Early Lamson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Lamson Ranking
In the United States, the name Lamson is the 12,022nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
Lamson migration to the United States +
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Lamson were among those contributors:
Lamson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Ebenezer Lamson, who sailed to Concord, Massachusetts in 1635
Lamson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Joseph Lamson, who arrived in New York in 1745 2
Lamson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Z. Lamson, who arrived in New York in 1823
- W. Lamson, who arrived in San Francisco in 1853
- Lieutenant R. H. Lamson commanded a Union naval flotilla during the American Civil War
Lamson migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Lamson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Mr. William Lamson U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 3
Lamson 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:
Lamson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Thomas Lamson, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1872
Contemporary Notables of the name Lamson (post 1700) +
- Mortimer Lamson (1864-1905), American classical scholar
- Chris Lamson, American television producer, writer, and director
- William Lamson (b. 1977), American Installation artist, Performance artist, and Generative artist
- Laura Lamson (1948-2008), American screenwriter and university lecturer
- Otis Floyd Lamson (1876-1956), American football player and coach
- Byron Lamson, American author and clergyman
- Roswell Hawkes Lamson (1840-1903), United States Navy officer during the American Civil War
- Ina Mabel Lamson MBE (1911-1994), née Pickering, New Zealand women's cricketer for Wellington (1935-1936) and (1961-1962)
- Lieutenant-General Marcel-Charles-Joseph Lamson (1877-1948), 4
The Lamson 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: Persevera et vince
Motto Translation: Persevere and conquer.
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Marcel-Charles-Joseph Lamson. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Lamson/Marcel-Charles-Joseph/France.html