Show ContentsWatson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Watson Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Watson

What does the name Watson mean?

Watson is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from Wat, which is a diminutive form of Walter. This Old German name, which literally means mighty army, was introduced into England during the reign of Edward the Confessor and became one of the most popular personal names in that country following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname also features the suffix -son, which superseded other patronymic suffixes in popularity during the 14th century and was most popular in the north of England.

Early Origins of the Watson family

The surname Watson was first found in the county of Rutland, where they were Lords of the manor of Rockingham, from ancient times. This was home to "a castle was erected by William I., on the summit of a hill, for the protection of the extensive iron-works at that time carried on in the adjacent woodlands. During the war in the reign of Charles I., the castle was garrisoned for the king by Sir Lewis Watson, afterwards created Lord Rockingham, and was besieged by the parliamentarian forces, who at the same time destroyed the tower and part of the nave of the church: the only remains of the castle are the two massive bastions that defended the entrance gateway." 1

Early History of the Watson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Watson research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1392, 1450, 1493, 1593, 1600, 1601, 1617, 1620, 1630, 1637, 1659, 1660, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1699, 1710, 1717, 1722 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Watson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Watson Spelling Variations

Watson has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Watson have been found, including Wattson, Walterson, MacWattie and others.

Early Notables of the Watson family

  • Earl of Rockingham; Thomas Watson (c. 1620-1686), an English, Nonconformist, Puritan preacher and author; Daniel Watson (c 1617-1683), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Lichfi...

Watson World Ranking

the United States, the name Watson is the 72nd most popular surname with an estimated 256,161 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Watson is ranked the 81st most popular surname with an estimated 31,068 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Watson is the 40th popular surname with an estimated 44,799 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Watson as 27th with 5,777 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Watson as 35th with 96,302 people. 6 South Africa ranks Watson as 783rd with 8,812 people. 7

Migration of the Watson family to Ireland

Some of the Watson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Watson migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Watsons to arrive on North American shores:

Watson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Watson who settled in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "William and Thomas"
  • James Watson, aged 20, who landed in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "George" 9
  • Mr. John Watson, aged 24, who arrived in Virginia in 1624 aboard the ship "Swan" 9
  • George Watson, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1631 10
  • Mr. John Watson, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1632 aboard the ship "Lyon" 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Watson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Anna Watson, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1701 10
  • Charles Watson, who landed in New England in 1711 10
  • George Watson, who settled in Georgia in 1775 with his wife and four children
  • Andrew Watson, aged 21, who arrived in Georgia in 1775 10
  • Ann Watson, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1776 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Watson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Daniel Watson, aged 35, who landed in North Carolina in 1812 10
  • Mrs. Jeannette Watson, aged 29, Scottish settler who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Isaac Newton" on 2nd December 1840
  • Mr. Thomas Watson, aged 37, Scottish merchant who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Isaac Newton" on 2nd December 1840
  • Miss Jane Watson, aged 19, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Rochester" on 20th May 1841
  • Mr. William Watson, aged 21, British moulder who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Rochester" on 20th May 1841
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Watson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mrs. Ann Watson, aged 33, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Mr. William Watson, aged 37, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Mr. William Watson, aged 11, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Miss Barbara Watson, aged 5, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Miss Francis Watson, Infant, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Watson migration to Canada +

Watson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Henry Watson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Brooks Watson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Francis Watson, aged 18, who landed in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1775
  • Mr. Alexander Watson U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 11
  • Mr. John Watson U.E. (b. 1747) born in New York, USA who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1846 11
Watson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Margaret Watson, aged 16, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • James Watson, aged 3, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • Rick Watson, aged 2, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • James Watson, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ranger" in 1834
  • John Watson, aged 17, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ranger" in 1834
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Watson migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet, Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Miss Elizabeth Watson, (Davis), (b. 1758), aged 30, British settler convicted in London, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for receiving stolen goods, transported aboard the ship "Lady Juliana" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 8
  • Mr. William Watson, (d. 1790), British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790, may have died on the ship 9
  • Mr. John Watson, (b. 1766), aged 23, British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 9
  • Miss Eleanor Watson, (1760 - 1828), British settler convicted in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Lady Juliana" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 9
Second Fleet
  • Mr. Henry Watson, British settler convicted in Essex, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Albermarle" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
  • Mr. Henry Watson, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for shop lifting, transported aboard the ship "Albermarle" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
  • Mr. George Watson, (d. 1792), British settler convicted in Derbyshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
  • Mr. John Watson, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Albermarle" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
  • Mr. Richard Watson, British settler convicted in Kent, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for petty larceny, transported aboard the ship "Albermarle" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
Third Fleet
  • Mr. Thomas Watson, (b. 1768), aged 19, English settler convicted in Exeter, Devon on 20th March 1786, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Charlotte" leaving on 13th May 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 22nd January 1788 9
  • Mr. Robert Watson, British seaman on the Navy support ship for the First Fleet the "HMS Sirius" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788
Following the First, Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Watson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Watson 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:

Watson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Captain Watson, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Diana" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th July 1840 16
  • Mr. Watson, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harrington" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 15th June 1841 16
  • T. H. Watson, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Harrington" in 1841 17
  • Louisa Watson, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Jane" in 1841 18
  • R Watson, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1841
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Watson migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19
Watson Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Nicholas Watson, (b. 1609), aged 26, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 20
  • Mr. Christopher Watson, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Matthew" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 21
  • Mr. Abram Watson, (b. 1616), aged 19, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Paul of London" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 21
  • Mr. Thomas Watson, (b. 1606), aged 29, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Paul of London" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 21

Contemporary Notables of the name Watson (post 1700) +

  • Thomas John Watson Jr. (1914-1993), President of IBM from 1952-1971 and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • John Christian Watson (1867-1941), Australian politician, third Prime Minister of Australia in 1904
  • Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (b. 1990), English actress and model, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series
  • Patty Jo Watson (1932-2024), American archaeologist noted for her work on Pre-Columbian Native Americans, especially in the Mammoth Cave region of Kentucky
  • JoAnn Watson (1951-2023), American pastor, media personality and Detroit city councilor, on-air personality for 910 AM Superstation/WFDF and Comcast Channel 91 WHPR
  • Johnny Ace "John" Watson (1949-2022), American football offensive lineman who played nine seasons in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints (1971-1979)
  • Howard N. Watson (1929-2022), American artist from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, known for his watercolor painting
  • Jack Crozier Watson (1928-2022), American jurist, Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1979 to 1996
  • Erica Faye Watson (1973-2021), American actress, comedian and writer, best known for her roles in Precious and Chi-Raq; she died of complications from COVID-19 in Jamaica
  • ... (Another 49 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Mrs. Isobel Watson (1914-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Mt. Albert, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 22
  • Miss Katerine Watson (1915-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Wellington, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 23
  • Mrs. Eliza Edith Watson (1871-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 23
  • Ms. Jill Victoria Watson (1964-1996), from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, American architect flying aboard Flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; she died in the crash 24
  • Miss. Jacqueline Alexis Watson (1978-1996), from Montoursville, Pennsylvania, USA, American student from Montoursville flying aboard Flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; she died in the crash 25
  • ... (Another 41 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Watson Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Mea gloria fides
Motto Translation: Fidelity is my glory.

Suggested Readings for the name Watson +

  • The American Family of John Watson of the Narragansett County, Rhode Island by George C. Davis.
  • Ancestors and Descendants of John and Hannah (Goodwin) Watson of Hartford, Connecticut and Associated Families by Ralph Arthur Watson.
  • Genealogy and History of the Watson Family by Samuel E. Watson.
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  8. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  9. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  10. 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)
  11. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
  15. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  20. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  21. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  22. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  23. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  24. The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm

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