Nelson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


The history of the name Nelson begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from a patronymic name created from the given name "Nell," or for the Irish, "Niall." The name is also listed as a baptismal name "the son of Eleanor" from the nickname "Nell."

Early Origins of the Nelson family

The surname Nelson was first found in Lancashire (located in northwest England and dates back to 1180), where records show many instances of the name in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where Adam Nel was listed. Most are from Lancashire, but there is another from Cambridge: John filius Nel. William Neleson was listed in the Rolls of Parliament. 1

"The Banastres of Maudsley adopted the name of Maudesley, and bore the cross sable of Banastre. In 1377 Richard Nelson (Fitz-Nigel) of Maudsley (a branch of the Maudsleys), whose descendants bore the arms of Maudsley (with a bend), granted lands at Maudsley with remainder to George, son of Robert Nelson. In 1405 Robert Nelson of Maudsley conveyed lands to Peter Banastre and Edward Maudesley, and sealed with the above arms." 2

"Nelson is a name found in Cumberland and Westmoreland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Lincoln, and Norfolk. The naval hero of the name was son of a Norfolk rector. Nelson is a Lancashire town. The Fairhurst Nelsons, who owned Fairhurst Hall, Eccleston, during the last and in the present century, belong to an ancient family, a branch of which held lands in Mawdesley as far back as the reign of Richard II. " 3

Early History of the Nelson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nelson research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1350, 1638, 1654, 1656, 1686, 1715, 1734, 1758, 1766, 1805 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Nelson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nelson 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. Nelson has been recorded under many different variations, including Nelson, Nellson, Nelsan, Nelston, Neleson and others.

Early Notables of the Nelson family

Notables of the family at this time include

Nelson World Ranking

In the United States, the name Nelson is the 39th most popular surname with an estimated 402,894 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Nelson is ranked the 112nd most popular surname with an estimated 26,174 people with that name. 5 And in Australia, the name Nelson is the 150th popular surname with an estimated 19,500 people with that name. 6 New Zealand ranks Nelson as 107th with 3,932 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Nelson as 217th with 26,572 people. 8 South Africa ranks Nelson as 777th with 8,880 people. 9

Migration of the Nelson family to Ireland

Some of the Nelson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 111 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Nelson 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 Nelson or a variant listed above:

Nelson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Nelson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Nelson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Nelson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Nelson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Nelson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Nelson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Nelson Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Nelson migration to Australia +

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

Nelson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Nelson 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:

Nelson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Nelson (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Nelson +
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