Gunson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Early Origins of the Gunson family

The surname Gunson was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. 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. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1184 when Bigod de Goneston held estates in that shire. Eustace Gunson later held in Cambridgeshire in 1279. Gunstone is a hamlet in Staffordshire and dates back to at least 1186 when it was listed as Gonestona.

Early History of the Gunson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gunson research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1278, 1455, 1487, 1722 and 1762 are included under the topic Early Gunson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gunson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gonson, Gunson, Gunston, Gonston and others.

Early Notables of the Gunson family

More information is included under the topic Early Gunson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gunson migration to Australia +

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

Gunson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Matthew Gunson, (b. 1816), aged 16 who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1
John Gunson, aged 25, a joiner, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Gloucester" 2

Gunson 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:

Gunson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Gunson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harwood" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1858 3
Mr. George Gunson, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 4
Mr. James Gunson, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 4
Mr. William Gunson, (b. 1804), aged 55, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 4
Mrs. Mary Gunson née Pstletwaite, (b. 1810), aged 49, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gunson (post 1700) +

Joe Gunson (1863-1942), American Major League Baseball catcher, born in Philadelphia, who played from 1884 to 1893
Thomas Gunson (1858-1940), American politician, Mayor of East Lansing, Michigan, 1909-14 5
Gordon Gunson (1904-1991), English footballer who played in 262 matches from 1923 to 1936
Lyn Gunson (b. 1953), New Zealand netball player and former head coach of both the New Zealand and England national netball teams, New Zealand Coach of the Year in 1989
William Gunson (d. 1902), New Zealand businessman who founded the seed-grain business W Gunson & CO in 1881, father of Sir Henry Gunson
Sir James Henry Gunson (1877-1963), New Zealand businessman and politician, 24th Mayor of Auckland City (1915-1925)
Ella Gunson (b. 1989), New Zealand three-time gold medalist Olympic field hockey player

Citations +

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) GLOUCESTER 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/anglia1852.shtmL
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html