| ![Show Contents]() Samsun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
France
Etymology of SamsunWhat does the name Samsun mean? The name Samsun is from Normandy, France. The root name Sanson or Samson is an Old French name given to "a Welsh bishop (fl. 550) who crossed over to Brittany and founded the abbey of Dol where he was buried and venerated as a saint. Whether his name is the Biblical Samson or one of Celtic origin is uncertain. Probably from Saint-Samson (Seine-Inférieure), or from Saint-Samson (Calvados), Saint-Samson-de-Bonfosse (La Manche) or Saint-Samson-de-la-Roque (Eure)." 1 Another source claims the name to be derived from the Hebrew given name Shemuel, meaning the name of God. Early Origins of the Samsun familyThe surname Samsun was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where this distinguished family held a family seat at Saint-Clair-Sur-Elle in Manche in the arrondissement of St.Lô, where one Ricardi Samsonis, the Latin name for Richard Sampson is described in a charter to Philip the Bishop of Bayeux in 1142, and he is named as occupant of the castle of Saint-Clair. 2 "A well-known monastery near Rouen was built by the Archbishop of Dol, known as St. Sansone or St. Sampson." 3 Early History of the Samsun familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Samsun research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Samsun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Samsun Spelling VariationsChanges of spelling have occurred in most surnames. The earliest explanation is that during the early development of the French language, names were not yet fixed in spelling. Usually a person gave his version of his name, phonetically, to a scribe, a priest, or a recorder. This depended on accent, and local accents frequently changed the spelling of a name. Some variables were adopted by different branches of the family name. Hence, there are some spelling variations of the name Samsun, including Samson, Samsons, Samsone, Samso, Samsun, Samsoen, Sampsoen, Sampson, Sampsonis and many more. Early Notables of the Samsun familyMore information is included under the topic Early Samsun Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Samsun familyIn the 1700s, land incentives were finally given out by France to 2,000 migrants. Early marriage was encouraged in New France, and youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries, leaving French names scattered across the continent. The search for the Northwest passage continued. Migration from France to New France or Quebec, as it was now more popularly called, continued until 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In the treaty of Utrecht, Acadia were ceded by France to Britain in 1713. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported. They found refuge in Louisiana. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many of this distinguished family name Samsun were prominent in social, cultural, religious and political affairs in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Samsun were Henry Samson who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620; Charlemagne Samson settled in New Orleans La. in 1823; Samuel Samson landed in New York State in 1849 with his wife and four children.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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