Melsom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Melsom family, whose name comes from the popular Norman given name Miles.

Early Origins of the Melsom family

The surname Melsom was first found in Shropshire, at Milson, a parish, in the union of Cleobury-Mortimer, part of the Overs Hunderd which dates back to the Domesday Book where is was listed as Mulstone. At that time, there was a manor, and land for 6 ploughs. It was held by Osbern fitzRichard at that time. 1 The village had 160 inhabitants in 1848 and the local church was dedicated to St. George. The name was probably derived from the Old English personal name + "tun" 2 and literally means "farmstead of a man called Myndel or Miles. Today there is also a Milson Island in New South Wales, Australia and has been established for over 100 years. Milsons Point near Sydney, Australia was named after James Milson (1785-1872), from Lincolnshire one of the earliest settlers. In New Zealand, Milson is a suburb of Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui.

Early History of the Melsom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Melsom research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1309, 1327, 1379 and 1524 are included under the topic Early Melsom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Melsom Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Milson, Millson, Milison, Millison, Millyson, Milyson, Myllison, Mylison, Myleson, Mylleson, Mylson, Milsom, Mylsom, Milsolm, Millsolm, Melsam, Melsan, Melson, Melsom, Milsson, Melsome and many more.

Early Notables of the Melsom family

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

Melsom migration to Australia +

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

Melsom Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Melsom, English convict who was convicted in Coventry, West Midlands, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 9th Mary 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 3

Melsom 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:

Melsom Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. George Melsom, (b. 1845), aged 20, British carpenter travelling from London aboard the ship "Greyhound" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th May 1865 4
Mrs. Mary Melsom, (b. 1847), aged 18, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Greyhound" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th May 1865 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Melsom (post 1700) +

John Melsom, American chief investment officer with the Omni Event Fund in 2015
Ferdinand Melsom, Norwegian shipowner who established the Melsom Prize in 1922 for a writer or translator who writes in Nynorsk
Odd Erling Melsom (1900-1978), Norwegian military officer and newspaper editor

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html