Mason History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Italy
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Mason

What does the name Mason mean?

The name Mason was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Mason is for a stone-mason. The name was originally derived from the Old English or Old French word masson. 1

Early Origins of the Mason family

The surname Mason was first found in various counties and shires throughout Britain but one of the oldest was found in Kent on the Isle of Thanet. One of the earliest records on the name was found in London c. 1130 when John Macun was listed there at that time. A few years later, Ace le mazun was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Herefordshire in 1193 and Roger le Mason was listed in Oxfordshire in 1200. The Feet of Fines of Essex lists Godrey le Mascun in 1203 and Adam le Machon was listed in the Assize Roles of Northumberland in 1279. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Gotte le Mazoun in Huntingdonshire; and Nicholas le Macun in Buckinghamshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Willelmus Mason, mason. 3 About this time and perhaps before, Scotland had early listings of the name. They include: Richard the Mason, burgess of Aberdeen in 1271; John le Massum of Gascony who had claim against the bishop of St. Andrews in 1288; and William dictus Masceon who had a charter of land in the burgh of Berwick in 1307. 4

Early History of the Mason family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mason research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1586, 1615, 1629, 1633, 1635, 1646, 1650, 1652, 1660, 1673, 1676, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1690, 1694, 1716, 1735, 1770, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mason History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mason Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Mason, Masson and others.

Early Notables of the Mason family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

John Mason (1586-1635), born in King's Lynn, became Governor of Newfoundland in 1615, and was one of the founders of New Hampshire
George Mason I (1629-1686) from Pershore, Worcestershire, who arrived at Norfolk, Virginia on the ship Assurance in 1652, he was great-grandfather of George Mason IV, a Founding Father of the United S...
Martin Mason (fl. 1650-1676), an early English Quaker, frequently imprisoned for his beliefs, prolific writer of controversial tracts
Sir Richard Mason (ca.1633-1685), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Yarmouth (1673)
John Mason (1646?-1694), a Calvinistic Anglican priest, poet and influential hymn-writer

Mason World Ranking

In the United States, the name Mason is the 135^th most popular surname with an estimated 169,116 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Mason is ranked the 237^th most popular surname with an estimated 16,898 people with that name. 6 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Mason is the 486^th popular surname with an estimated 97 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Mason as 105^th with 25,284 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Mason as 89^th with 4,259 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Mason as 79^th with 56,811 people. 10

Migration of the Mason family to Ireland

Some of the Mason family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mason migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Mason or a variant listed above:

Mason Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Francis Mason, aged 40, who arrived in Virginia in 1613 aboard the ship "John & Francis" 11
Jon Mason, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 11
Ann Mason, who landed in Virginia in 1621 11
Peter Mason, who arrived in Virginia in 1621 11
Robert Homer Mason, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Elinor Mason, who landed in Virginia in 1701 11
Fra Mason, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 11
Geo Mason, who landed in Virginia in 1704 11
Eliz Mason, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 11
Cha Mason, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Mason, who landed in America in 1801-1802 11
Maria Mason, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 11
Daniel Mason, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 11
Mad Mason, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 11
Rodding Mason, who landed in Texas in 1835 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mason Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Nathaniel Mason, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Isaac Mason, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Robert Mason, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Aaron Mason, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Charles Mason, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Mason, who arrived in Canada in 1831
Betty Mason, aged 46, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
Thomas Mason, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1837 aboard the barque "Robert Watt" from Cork, Ireland
James Mason, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1837 aboard the barque "Robert Watt" from Cork, Ireland
Catherine Mason, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1843
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mason Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Sarah Mason, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for receiving stolen goods, transported aboard the "Bellona" in July 1792, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. William Mason, Irish farmer who was convicted in Armagh, Ireland for 7 years for burglary, transported aboard the "Boddingtons" on 15th February 1793, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1839 13
Mr. George Mason, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14

Mason Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Mason, British Convict who was convicted in Devon, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. Alexander Mason, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Miss Margaret Mason, (Moore), British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Miss Mary Mason, British Convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. Samuel Mason, British Convict who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason 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:

Mason Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Mason, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Dublin Packet" arriving in Cloudy Bay, South Island, New Zealand in 1838 17
Mr. Edward Thomas Mason, (b. 1818), aged 21, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 18
Mrs. Mason, (b. 1820), aged 19, British settler travelling from London with a child aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 18
Mrs. Mason, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Earl of Lonsdale" arriving in Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand in 1840 17
Mr. Mason, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Earl of Lonsdale" arriving in Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand in 1840 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mason 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

Mason Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. John Mason, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Anne and Elizabeth" arriving in Barbados in 1635 20
Mr. Beniamin Mason, (b. 1612), aged 23, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 21
Mr. Richard Mason, (b. 1606), aged 29, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 22
Mr. John Mason, (b. 1616), aged 19, British settler travelling from Gravesend, England aboard the ship "Falcon" arriving in Barbados in 1636 21
Charles Mason, who settled in Barbados in 1654
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mason (post 1700) +

Brittni Mason (b. 1998), American Paralympic sprinter
David Gray Mason (1942-1943), American politician elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives (1973-1977)
Jackie Mason (1928-2021), born Yacov Moshe Maza, an American stand-up comedian and film and television actor
Emily Mason (1932-2019), American abstract painter, daughter of Alice Mason
Marilyn May Mason (1925-2019), American concert organist, recording artist, and professor, from Alva, Oklahoma
Gina Marie Mason (1959-2017), née Crafts, an American politician, Member of the Maine House of Representatives (since 2017)
Anthony George Douglas Mason (1966-2015), American professional basketball player who played from 1988 to 2003
George Mason IV (1725-1792), American Patriot, statesman and a delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, called the "Father of the Bill of Rights" and one of the "Founding Fathers" of the United States
Private First Class Leonard Foster Mason (1920-1944), American Marine awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944 for heroism during the Battle of Guam
Daniel Gregory Mason (1873-1953), American composer
... (Another 29 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Mason family +

Air New Zealand Flight 901

Mr. Robert Mason (d. 1979), New Zealander passenger, from, Auckland, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 23

Bradford City stadium fire

Roy Mason (1911-1985), from Silsden who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and he died in the fire

Empress of Ireland

Master Howard Mason (d. 1914), English Third Class Passenger from Manchester, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 24
Mrs. J. Mason (d. 1914), English Third Class Passenger from Manchester, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 24

HMS Hood

Mr. Vernon R A Mason (b. 1923), English Boy 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Malvern, Worcestershire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Hubert Mason, British Ordnance Artificer 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26

North Sea Flood

Richard Mason, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Joseph Howard Mason, American 3rd Class passenger from Detroit, Michigan, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 27
Mrs. Leslie Hawthorne Mason, American 1st Class Passenger from Boston, Massachusetts, USA moving to Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 27
Mr. Stewart Southam Mason, English 1st Class Passenger from Ipswich, England returning to Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 27

RMS Titanic

Mr. Frank Archibald Robert Mason, aged 32, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on collapsible B 28
Mr. James Mason (d. 1912), aged 39, English Leading Fireman from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 28

SS Southern Cross

Mr. Elias Mason (b. 1914), Newfoundlander from Catalina who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found

USS Arizona

Mr. Byron Dalley Mason, American Seaman Second Class from Idaho, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 29

Vimy Ridge

Thomas Joseph Mason (1893-1917), Canadian farm labourer, Private in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge April 1917

The Mason 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: Dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: While I have breath I have hope.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-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)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bellona
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/boddingtons
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 23rd September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html