Show ContentsBelson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Belson

What does the name Belson mean?

The Belson name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Kent.

Early Origins of the Belson family

The surname Belson was first found in Kent, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Belson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belson research. Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1317, 1339, 1500, 1557, 1589, 1596, 1606, 1625, 1651, 1684, 1704, 1707, 1815 and 1987 are included under the topic Early Belson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Belson Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Belson has undergone many spelling variations, including Bellison, Belson, Beleson, Belessone, Bellesson and many more.

Early Notables of the Belson family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Blessed Thomas Belson (executed 5 July 1589), an English Roman Catholic layman from Brill, Buckinghamshire, a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1987
  • Augustin Belson (c.1606-1684) from Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire


Belson migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Belson were among those contributors:

Belson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Belson, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 1
  • Thomas Belson who arrived in Virginia in 1654
  • Mary Belson, who arrived in Virginia in 1663 1
  • I Belson, who arrived in Virginia in 1696 1
  • Edward Belson, who arrived in Virginia in 1699 1
Belson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Isaac D Belson, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1843 1


  1. 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)


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