Williamson

Williamson
This famous and interesting surname, with a number of entries in the "Dictionary of National Biography" and over twenty-eight Coats of Arms, is a patronymic of William. William is derived from the Norman form of an Old French personal name composed of the Germanic elements "wil", will, desire, and "helm", helmet, protection. The personal name was introduced into England at the time of the Conquest of 1066, and within a very short time it became the most popular given name in England, mainly no doubt in honour of the Conqueror himself. The surname was first recorded in the 1279 Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire with one Richard William, and the patronymic was first recorded in the mid 14th Century (see below). An interesting namebearer was Alexander Williamson (1829 - 1890), a missionary, who was ordained at Glasgow in 1855, and worked under the London Missionary Society in China from 1855 - 1858; he was an agent in China to the National Bible Society of Scotland from 1863 - 1890. A Coat of Arms granted to a Williamson family in Lancaster is a gold shield, a chevron engrailed between three trefoils slipped black, the Crest being a demi eagle displayed gold, holding in the beak a trefoil slipped black. The Motto "Murus aeneus conscientia sana", translates as "A sound conscience is a wall of brass". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Arnald Williamssone, which was dated 1360, in the "Court Rolls of the Borough of Colchester", during the reign of King Edward 111, known as "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Williamson — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Alison Williamson (* 1971), britische Sportbogenschützin Alexander William Williamson (1824−1904), britischer Chemiker Audrey Williamson (1926−2010), britische Leichtathlethin Ben M. Williamson (1864−1941) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Williamson — Williamson, AZ U.S. Census Designated Place in Arizona Population (2000): 3776 Housing Units (2000): 1718 Land area (2000): 57.633976 sq. miles (149.271306 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000):… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Williamson — is a variant of William (name).Places in the United States*Williamson, Arizona *Williamson, Georgia *Williamson, Illinois *Williamson, Iowa *Williamson, New York *Williamson, West Virginia *Williamson County, Illinois *Williamson County,… …   Wikipedia

  • Williamson —   [ wɪljəmsn],    1) Alexander William, britischer Chemiker, * Wandsworth (heute zu London) 1. 5. 1824, ✝ High Pitfold (bei Haslemere, County Surrey) 6. 5. 1904; Professor in London (1849 87). Williamson arbeitete v. a. über die Darstellung von… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Williamson, AZ — U.S. Census Designated Place in Arizona Population (2000): 3776 Housing Units (2000): 1718 Land area (2000): 57.633976 sq. miles (149.271306 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 57.633976 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Williamson, GA — U.S. town in Georgia Population (2000): 297 Housing Units (2000): 122 Land area (2000): 0.599310 sq. miles (1.552206 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.599310 sq. miles (1.552206 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Williamson, IA — U.S. city in Iowa Population (2000): 163 Housing Units (2000): 84 Land area (2000): 0.319437 sq. miles (0.827337 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.319437 sq. miles (0.827337 sq. km) FIPS code:… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Williamson, IL — U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 251 Housing Units (2000): 112 Land area (2000): 1.517561 sq. miles (3.930464 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.042758 sq. miles (0.110742 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.560319 sq. miles (4.041206 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Williamson, WV — U.S. city in West Virginia Population (2000): 3414 Housing Units (2000): 1892 Land area (2000): 3.338439 sq. miles (8.646517 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.338439 sq. miles (8.646517 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Williamson — (spr. Uilliämms n), 1) Grafschaft im Staate Texas (Nordamerika), 50 QM., vom San Gabriel River u. Brushy Creek durchflossen; große Prairien u. Waldungen; Producte: Mais, Bataten, Rindvieh, Pferde, Schafe, genannt nach Robert M. Williamson,… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Williamson — Williamson, Alexander, Chemiker, geb. 1. Mai 1824 in Wandsworth bei London, gest. daselbst 6. Mai 1904, studierte in Wiesbaden, Heidelberg, Gießen und Paris und erhielt 1848 den Lehrstuhl für Chemie am University College in London. 1887 trat er… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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