Mason History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  France 
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The name Mason was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Mason is for a stone-mason. The name was originally derived from the Old English or Old French word masson. 1

Early Origins of the Mason family

The surname Mason was first found in various counties and shires throughout Britain but one of the oldest was found in Kent on the Isle of Thanet. One of the earliest records on the name was found in London c. 1130 when John Macun was listed there at that time. A few years later, Ace le mazun was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Herefordshire in 1193 and Roger le Mason was listed in Oxfordshire in 1200. The Feet of Fines of Essex lists Godrey le Mascun in 1203 and Adam le Machon was listed in the Assize Roles of Northumberland in 1279. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Gotte le Mazoun in Huntingdonshire; and Nicholas le Macun in Buckinghamshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Willelmus Mason, mason. 3 About this time and perhaps before, Scotland had early listings of the name. They include: Richard the Mason, burgess of Aberdeen in 1271; John le Massum of Gascony who had claim against the bishop of St. Andrews in 1288; and William dictus Masceon who had a charter of land in the burgh of Berwick in 1307. 4

Early History of the Mason family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mason research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1586, 1615, 1629, 1633, 1635, 1646, 1650, 1652, 1660, 1673, 1676, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1690, 1694, 1716, 1735, 1770, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mason History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mason Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Mason, Masson and others.

Early Notables of the Mason family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Mason World Ranking

In the United States, the name Mason is the 135th most popular surname with an estimated 169,116 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Mason is ranked the 237th most popular surname with an estimated 16,898 people with that name. 6 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Mason is the 486th popular surname with an estimated 97 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Mason as 105th with 25,284 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Mason as 89th with 4,259 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Mason as 79th with 56,811 people. 10

Migration of the Mason family to Ireland

Some of the Mason family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Mason migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Mason or a variant listed above:

Mason Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Mason Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Mason Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mason migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mason Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Mason Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mason migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mason Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Mason Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mason 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:

Mason Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mason migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19
Mason Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Mason (post 1700) +


The Mason 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: Dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: While I have breath I have hope.


Suggested Readings for the name Mason +
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