Georgeson

This notable surname is both English and Scottish. Recorded as George and the patronymic Georgeson, it derives from the Greek personal name "Georgios" . Meaning "farmer", it was originally a compound of "ge", earth or soil, plus "eregin", to till, and was first recorded in its Latinized form "Georgius" in 12th Century London. The name gained in popularity from this century on as the Crusades brought greater contact with the Orthodox Church, in which there was a thriving cult of St. George. He was a Roman army officer, martyred in Palestine in A.D. 303. His supposed appearance to rally the Christian forces at Antioch in 1107 led to his adoption as patron saint of England. Early examples of the surname recording includeWilliam George, in the Calendar of Letter Books for London, dated 1412, whilst William Georgeson was a landholder in Scotland, having the tenancy of Coupar Grange, in 1471. Another interesting nameholder was Henry George, aged 19 yrs., who embarked from London on the ship "Assurance" bound for Virginia, in July 1635. He was one of the earliest recorded namebearers to settle in the colonies of New England. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Gorge, which was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307.