| ![Show Contents]() Clemson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of ClemsonWhat does the name Clemson mean? While surnames were well-known during the English medieval period, Cornish People originally used only a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames came into common use is interesting. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Patronymic surnames were derived from given names and were the predominant type of surname among the Celtic peoples of Britain. However, the people of Cornwall provide a surprising exception to this rule, and patronymic surnames are less common among them than other people of Celtic stock, such as their Welsh neighbors. This type of surname blended perfectly with the prevailing Feudal System. One feature that is occasionally found in Cornish surnames of this type is the suffix -oe or -ow; this is derived from the Cornish plural suffix -ow. is a patronymic surname that came from the Latin personal name Clementus, which means kind and merciful. 1 By extension, the name means "son of Clement," a variant of Clemson. 2 Early Origins of the Clemson familyThe surname Clemson was first found in Yorkshire where Peter Clementson was recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. Later John Clementesson was listed as a Freeman of York in 1392. 3 Early History of the Clemson familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clemson research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1207, 1576, 1776 and 1787 are included under the topic Early Clemson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Clemson Spelling VariationsCornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Climpson, Climeston, Climsom, Clemson, Clempson, Clympson, Climson and many more. Early Notables of the Clemson familyMore information is included under the topic Early Clemson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Clemson migration to the United States | + |
An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Clemson:
Clemson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Leo Clemson, who landed in Virginia in 1664 4
- Robert Clemson, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 4
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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)
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