| ![Show Contents]() Climpson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The notable Climpson family arose among the Cornish People, a race with a rich Celtic heritage and an indomitable fighting spirit who inhabited the southwest of England. 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. As the population of medieval Europe multiplied, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. 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 is due to the greater influence of English bureaucracy and naming practices in Cornwall at the time that surnames first arose. 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 Climpson familyThe surname Climpson 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 Climpson familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Climpson research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1207, 1576, 1776 and 1787 are included under the topic Early Climpson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Climpson 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 Climpson familyMore information is included under the topic Early Climpson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Climpson familyAn examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Climpson: John Climenson who arrived in Philadelphia in 1817.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Climpson (post 1700) | + |
- Mary Janet Climpson (d. 1940), British Salvation Army officer interred in Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery
- Roger Climpson OAM (b. 1932), English-born, Australian journalist and television presenter
- 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)
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