Show ContentsHewson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The age-old Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Hewson family. Their name comes from the "son of little Hugh."

Early Origins of the Hewson family

The surname Hewson was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, on the Isle of Bute, from ancient times where they were descended from the MacDonalds of Sleat.

Early History of the Hewson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hewson research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1613, 1648, 1662, 1680, 1739 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Hewson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hewson Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Hewson has been spelled Hewison, Heweson, Howeson, Howeston, Howstoun, Huison and many more.

Early Notables of the Hewson family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

  • William Hewson (1739-1774) was an 18th Century surgeon, anatomist and physiologist who has sometimes been referred to as the 'father of hematology'

Migration of the Hewson family to Ireland

Some of the Hewson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Hewson migration to the United States +

Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Hewsons to arrive on North American shores:

Hewson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Hewson, who landed in Maryland in 1657 1
  • Ralph Hewson, who arrived in Maryland in 1667 1
  • John Hewson, who arrived in Maryland in 1669 1
  • Frederick Hewson, who arrived in Virginia in 1698 1
Hewson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Hewson, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1813 1

Hewson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hewson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Catherine Hewson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1829
  • Mary Hewson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1835
  • George Hewson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1837
  • Mr. John Hewson, aged 27 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Odessa" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle on 22nd August 1847 2

Hewson migration to Australia +

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

Hewson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Martha Hewson, (b. 1783), aged 27, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for pick pocketing, transported aboard the "Canada" in March 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
  • William Hewson, English Convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4

Hewson 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:

Hewson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Ann Maria Hewson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 5
  • Mr. Alfred Hewson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 5
  • W Hewson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 5
  • Mr. Charles Hewson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 5
  • Mrs. Margaret Hewson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hewson (post 1700) +

  • Stephen Hewson, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 4th District, 1865 6
  • Robert C. Hewson, American politician, Representative from New York 29th District, 1884 6
  • John Hewson, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Evansville, Indiana, 1856-59 6
  • George F. Hewson, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1944 6
  • Daniel Hewson, American politician, Mayor of Auburn, New York, 1849 6
  • Brian Stanford Hewson (1933-2022), English middle-distance runner who represented Great Britain at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, winner of the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 1958 European Championships
  • Mr. Roger Hewson, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1462 to 1463
  • Barbara Mary Hewson (d. 2021), Irish barrister with a practice in public law
  • William Hewson (1739-1774), English surgeon and anatomist, son of William Hewson, surgeon, born at Hexham, Northumberland, on 14 Nov. (O. S.) 1739 7
  • William Hewson (1806-1870), English theological writer, son of William Hewson of 7 Tottenham Court New Road, clerk in a bank, born on 12 April 1806; baptised at St. Margaret's, Westminster, on 28 Dec. in the same year 7
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. William Hewson, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 8


  1. 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)
  2. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 33)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
  4. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  7. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  8. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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