Clayson is a name of
Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name
Klaus, or
Niklaus (Nicholas). 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. Furthermore, the suffix
son was frequently added to such names which in this case would have been derived from
son of Klaus or
son of Nicholas.Early Origins of the Clayson family
The surname Clayson was first found in Long Clawson, sometimes referred to as Claxton, a small village in
Leicestershire. The village dates back to before the
Domesday Book where it was recorded as Clachestone part of Framland
Wapentake and held by Robert the Usher
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8). As far as the surname is concerned, the first record of the name appears in Middlesex where they held a
family seat as early as 1340. Clays le Taburer is mentioned as being Minstrel to the King and later, during the reign of King Henry IV the name emerged as Clayson in the form of Henry Clayson. By 1328 the name had migrated north to
Scotland when Johanes Clayson was Chamberlain. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed.
Early History of the Clayson family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clayson research.
Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1336, 1407, 1364, 1370, 1370, 1373, 1380, 1392, 1382, 1389, 1392 and 1399 are included under the topic Early Clayson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Clayson Spelling Variations
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few
hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Clayson have been found, including Clayson, Clawson, Claxson, Claison, Clason, Clisson and many more.
Early Notables of the Clayson family (pre 1700)
Distinguished members of the family include Olivier de Clisson (1336-1407), a
Breton soldier, distinguished himself at the Battle of Auray (1364), where he lost an eye in the fighting, and earned the
nickname "Butcher" because his troops were ordered to take no prisoners, due to differences he went over to the...
Another 227 words (16 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clayson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Clayson family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Clayson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- William Clayson, aged 35, a brickmaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Magdalena" [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
South Australian Register Friday 26th August 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Magdalena 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/magdalena1853.shtml
Contemporary Notables of the name Clayson (post 1700)
- William Clayson, American politician, Mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, 1927-28 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Harold H. Clayson, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1900 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Christopher William Clayson, American Chairman
- Jane Clayson, American journalist and television personality
- Sir Eric Clayson, Chairman of Birmingham Post and Mail Group