Arrison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient Anglo-Saxon surname Arrison came from the personal name Henry. The personal name Henry arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings, killing King Harold, the last Saxon King of England. It is of Germanic origin, and arrived with the wave of immigration that followed King William into England from continental Europe. The surname Arrison is derived from a diminutive form of the name, Harry. The name means "the son of Henry."

One source has an interesting note: "This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Harry,' this being the English attempt at pronouncing the French Henri. Thus Harry is not a nickname, of Henry, but the English representative form. Hence our endless Harrisons, not Henrysons." 1

Early Origins of the Arrison family

The surname Arrison was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Arrison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arrison research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1579, 1583, 1590, 1606, 1621, 1640, 1655, 1656, 1660, 1669, 1685, 1713, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Arrison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arrison 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. Arrison has been recorded under many different variations, including Harrison, Harryson, Harieson and others.

Early Notables of the Arrison family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Sir John Harrison (c. 1590-1669), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1669, supporter of the Royalist side in the English Civil War
John Harrison (1579-1656), a prominent inhabitant of Leeds in Yorkshire, England, in the 16th and 17th century, variously as one of the early woollen cloth merchants, and as a benefactor of the town
Sir Richard Harrison (1583-1655), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1621 and 1640, supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War
Major-General Thomas Harrison (1606-1660), an English soldier who sided with Parliament in the English Civil War, found guilty of regicide

Migration of the Arrison family to Ireland

Some of the Arrison family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Arrison family

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 Arrison or a variant listed above: Harmon Harrison settled in Virginia in 1607; 13 years before the "Mayflower," along with Easter Harrison in 1684; Edward in 1654; Elizabeth in 1650.

The Arrison 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: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

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)