The name Sammson arrived in England
after the Norman Conquest
of 1066. The name Sammson comes from the Norman personal name Samson.
Early Origins of the Sammson family
The surname Sammson was first found in Gloucestershire
, but the was quickly scattered throughout Britain as they claim descendancy from "De St. Sampson, from the lordship near Caen, Normandy
. Ralph de St. Sansom accompanied the Conqueror, and [by] 1086 held estates in several counties. William Sampson, his descendant, was summoned to Parliament as a Baron
1297-1304. " CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Another reference notes "Samson, the name of 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 Samsom or one of Celtic origin is uncertain. The name was popular in Yorkshire
and eastern counties." CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Early History of the Sammson family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sammson research.Another 277 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1112, 1627, 1600, 1667, 1590, 1636, 1629 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Sammson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sammson Spelling Variations
Multitudes of spelling variations
are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans
introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Sampson, Samson and others.
Early Notables of the Sammson family (pre 1700)
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sammson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Sammson family to Ireland
Some of the Sammson family moved to Ireland
, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Sammson family to the New World and Oceana
Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland
, North America, and Australia
in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England
. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Sammson or a variant listed above: Henry Sampson (Samson) arrived on the "Mayflower" in 1620; Edward Sampson settled in Virginia in 1653; James Sampson settled in Virginia in 1638.
The Sammson 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: Pejus letho flagitium
Motto Translation: Disgrace is worse than Death.