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History of the Pearson Surname in Scotlan
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"The family of Peirson in Scotland from AD 1295," by David Ritchie Pearson, M.D., 1891
Earliest name recorded seems to be Wautier Pieressone in 1296.
MacPherson was sometimes written M'A'Phaarsoin and as the "Mac" was dropped, Pearsoin likely merged with Pearson 1645. Derivatives are: Pairsone, Pearsone, Peirsonde, Peirsone, Peirsound, Pesirsaunde, Persone, Peyrsoune, Peyrson 1480.
The Pearson family (also spelt until the 18th century, Pierson, Piersone, Peirsoun,
Pieressone, Perysoun and Person; where son was spelt as "sonne") originated in Northumberland,
England where some members still live at this present time. The origin of the name
was Pier's son, i.e. the son of Piers. The Pearson name originated from "Son of Pierre",
the French form of Peter.
The first Pearson was Wautier Pieresoune, who was mentioned in 1226 in the Ragman's Roll as Pledging Allegiance to Edward I, King of England. Edward Pearson of Bamburgh was alive in 1506. Other Pearsons appearing in early print were David Perisone 1369, David Perysoun 1375, Johannes Peryson 1408, John Perison or Peryson 1473, Sandie Peirsoun 1567 and Archibald Pierson 1642.
In the Ragmans Rolls, the reeled instrument of fealty subscribed by the representative
of Scotland, to Edward I of England, in his office arbitrator between Bruce and Baliol—Wautier
Pieresone (del Cornite de Bereuyk), signs as l
andowners in Berwickshire, 28th Aug
1296. In
a safe conduct granted by Edward II of England, signed by the king at Westminister,
11th June 1369, David Perisone, "Mercator de Scotia", is permitted to pass through
England "Cumquatuorsocic's
equitibus". Six others named in the same document have passes for two mounted companions each. The safe conduct provides against the export of bows and arrows to the prejudice of Edward.
From 1372 to 1390, David Perisone and his brothers Alexander and John, were Comptollers of the Customs of North Berwick, Dumfries and Haddington. In the Close Rolls, to Richard III., 27th June 1396, the king, Richard III, commands his cousin, Henry Perig, Earl of Northunberland to order the release of the "Scots merchants and their goods", lately wreaked in a "ship" of Henry Pierson's, on the coast of Werkworth, last Lent, and said to be his (the Earl's) custody, that "the truce be not broken".
The Scottish branch of the family was founded about 1400 when Christopher Pearson left Northumberland, England for Wanlockhead, Scotland. The old Scottish family of Person of Lochlands, Pierson of the Barony of Balmadies, Fordarshire, and Pearson of the Baroney of Kippenrose, Dunvane, Perthshire, of which the Hon. William Pearson is head, appears under various spellings, in some of the earliest records of Scotland. This family is described as recently as 1684 by the John Ochterlong of the Guynd in his account of the "Shire of Forfar."
In 1425, the head of the family, John de Perison, was burgess of Linlithgow, to the king, James I of Scotland, made payment to his son, Thomas Perison. Thomas Perison in 1450 held lands at Blackness, Eister Liff, Forfarshire. When he died in 1466, the lands were granted to his daughters, Mariota and Sybella Personn. Sir Andro Pierson was a Chaplin of Dunfermline Abbey in 1469. In 1506, the chartulany of the abbey contains reversal charters, granting lands to Thomas Peirson and his successors.
Thomas and Marcota Pearsoun on 13th Oct 1508 obtained a grant of lands of Kepty which became the properties of Lachlands. In 1524, Thomas Peirsone died leaving a will to: 1) John, a monk of Arbroath some land; 2) Walter, of whom again, ancestor of the Pearsons of Kippenross, Dunblane; 3) Thomas, ancestor of the Pearsons of Clow, Dumnning; 4) David, ancestor of the Pearsons of Pierson's, Baithe, Dunfermline, and 5) David, son of Thomas Peirsone by 3rd wife Margareta.
James Peirsone represented Arbroath in the Scottish Parliament in 1628. James Peirsone born in 1666, was commissioner of supply in 1690, 1702 and 1745. James Pierson is mentioned in 1779. Mr. James Pearson who became head of Kippeurons, Perthshire, b. 1594, studied at Edenburn, and took a MA degree in 2 July 1615. Hugh Pearson was mentioned in 1742.
More on the Pearson Surname.
This distinguished name is of early medieval English origin, and is one of the patronymic forms of the medieval given name Piers, itself the usual vernacular form of the male given name Peter. Piers was adopted by the English from the Old French "Pierre, Piers", introduced by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066; the Latinised form, "Petrus", is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is ultimately of Greek origin, from "petros", rock, stone, and was very popular among Christians in Europe during the Middle Ages, mainly because it was the name bestowed by Christ (as a byname) on the apostle Simon bar Jonah; the name was chosen by Christ for its symbolic significance: "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church". In England, the personal name was an early favourite, and consequently has generated a large number and variety of surname forms, among them the patronymics Pearson, Pierson and Peirson. Early recordings of the surname include: John Pierisson (1332, Warwickshire); Robert Peresson (1395, Yorkshire); and William Pierson (1412, Lancashire). One Cutbert Peirson was an early emigrant to the American colonies; he was listed as living at "the Indian thicket" near Elizabeth City in Virginia in 1623. A Coat of Arms granted to the family depicts per fesse embattled gules and azure, three suns in splendour ore. The crest being: out of a ducal coronet ore, a paroquet. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Peresone, which was dated 1327, in the "Exchequer Lay Subsidy Rolls of Somerset", 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.
HISTORY OF THE PEARSON / PEIRSON FAMILY
MORE FAMILY HISTORY
Mcpherson Tartan Colours
A "Sept" is a family name which can be related to a clan or larger family for various reasons, either through marriage or by seeking protection from a larger and more powerful neighbouring clan or family. Many names which are recorded as septs have since become clans in their own right and many can be related to more than one clan.
The Pearsons are just one of many Septs of the Macpherson Clan. The following is a list of all the other Septs: Allison , Archibald, Cattanach Carson, Chlerich, Clark, Clarke, Clarkson, Clerk, Clooney, Clunie, Cluny Currie Currier, Curry, Ellis, Ellison, Ferson, Gillespie, Gillies, Gillis, Goudey, Goudie, Gow, Gowan, Keith, Leary, Lees, MacCarson, MacChlery, MacClair, MacCleary, MacCleish, MacClerich, MacClooney, MacCloonie, MacCluney, MacClunie, MacCluny, MacCurrach, MacCurrie, MacCurry, MacGillies, MacGouen, MacGoun, MacGow, MacGowen, MacKeith, MacLear, MacLeary, MacLees, MacLeish, MacLerie, MacLierich, MacLise, MacLory, MacMurdo, MacMurdoch, MacMurdock, MacMurich, MacVail, MacVurich, MacVurrich, Murdaugh, Murdo, Murdoch, Murdock, Murdoson, Person, Smith
The Clan Macpherson
The name Macpherson, MacPherson, or McPherson according to the spelling preferred by individual families, comes from the gaelic Mac-a-Phearsain and means literally " Son of the Parson". Mhuirich Vattanach, 4th chief of Clan of Chattan, was Parson of Kingussie. His second son was the first to be called Macpherson.
The Clan Macpherson look upon themselves as the senior male representatives of the ‘Old Clan Chattan’. During the 14th century they migrated from Lochaber to Badenoch after the defeat of the Comyns.
The descendants of Muireach the Parson became known as the Clan Mac a Phearson or the Clan Mhuirich of Badenoch and they occupied an important and sometimes independent position in the Highlands.
The Clan’s traditions are embodied in an annual Clan Gathering held at Newtonmore each August and at the famous Clan Museum there. The present Chief, Sir William Alan Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie, lives at Newton Castle, Blairgowrie.
Macpherson Badge: A Cat sejant proper with its sinister 
paw horizontally elevated.
Arms: Cluny Macpherson
Tartans: There are 17 tartans ascribed to the Clan Macpherson.
The three main tartans are the Red, Hunting and Dress
Motto: Touch not the cat but a glove
Plant Badges: Boxwood and White Heather
Gaelic Name: "Clann Mhuirich" - The Children of Murdoch
Homelands: The homelands of the Clan are along the upper
Speyside in Badenoch.
Pipe Music: MacPherson’s March
The Clan Chattan
There are many theories on the origin of this unique family group which did not follow the the ordinary pattern of other Scottish clans but rather became a community or confederation, consisting of various descendents of the original ancestors. The wildcat figures prominently in their heraldry.
History
The Macphersons are in Gaelic called the clan Mhuirich, after Mhuirich Vattanach, who was the great great grandson of Gillichattan, from whom came the clan Chattan.The Macphersons have unbroken descent from the ancient chiefs of the clan Chattan, and are the lineal representatives of the chiefs of the clan. A brief note on the spelling: The "p" is traditionally lower case because "parson" is not a Christian name. Of course, there are numerous variations, but they can all be traced back to the original spelling. In 1609 the chief of the Macphersons signed a bond acknowledging MackIntosh as captain and chief of the clan Chattan; but it is likely that this was only because the Macphersons were aiding the MackIntoshes in battle and deferred to their command. In all the contentions and feuds in which the MackIntoshes were subsequently involved with the Camerons and other Lochaber clans, they were obliged to accept of the Macphersons' aid as allies rather than vassals. Ewen Macpherson, the famous Cluny of '45, gave up his commission in the English army and joined Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) in his ill-fated bid for the crown. Ewan managed to raise 600 men for the Prince, but was delayed on the way to Culloden. The Prince was advised to wait for Cluny and his men, but this was just one of the many good pieces of advice that the Prince ignored. After the battle, it was Cluny who helped the Prince escape and took charge of his military chest. Cluny was forced into hiding for 9 years, mostly in the famous cave on Ben Alder (Cluny's Cage). Despite a reward of £1000, he was never caught. He later escaped to the continent. Ewen's son, Duncan, was born in a corn kiln where his mother was forced to hide from English soldiers. He was nicknamed "Duncan of the Kiln" and succeeded his father as head of the Clan.
- The origin of the Pearson Family has many different sources. Some say that it comes from the city or village of Persen in the Yorkshire England after 1080. During the time of Cromwell in England, some Pearson Families came from Ireland but before that in the 1300, some Pearson's came from England.
- Before 1200, in Holland, there were Peresone, Parson, Person, and Piereson or similar spellings in the province of Zealand. In the Nordic Areas (Norway,Sweden and Danemark) there were some names which were very similar. Records show a King in Norway called Persen about the year 1000.
- Some say that it comes from the french word Pierre or Peter becoming son of Pierre, Peressonne,Pierson,Peterson or Pierreson becoming after the 1400 Pierson and after the 1500's Pearson. In the North of France, during the 1200-1300, there was a place named Parsonnage and several Piersons of France came from this region.
- In Scotland, the Pearson name came from Wautier (Walter) Pierresone Count of Berwick in the Northumberland 1298. But Before him in 1245, several Piersonne families were in the same region.
- During the 1400's, in England, a family came from Spain with the name Peres son.
- In America, the first Pearson came to Newfoundland about 1596-1608 but didn't stay. After that John Pearson with Maudlin came about 1637 in Lynn Ma. About 1639, Abraham and Henry Pierson Pearson came to the same place but were the first in Connecticut and the second in Long Island N.Y.
- Some Personne's came from France to Quebec before 1750. After 1763, some came from England, Massachusetts and different areas.
- Many of the Pearsons living in Québec Province are descended from Charles Pearson. Charles Pearson, born in London, England, around 1791, came to Quebec on a ship (on which he was forcibly detained) in 1808, to the area of Rivière-Ouelle. He settled there and became the town's miller.
- One of Charles Pearson's descendants is René Lévesque, former Premier of Québec: René Lévesque's great-grandmother was the daughter of Charles Pearson.
- The Harlein Manuscripts are the records of the "Visitations" (the investigation of heralds) of English and Welsh families. The manuscripts were complied from about 1530 to the close of the 17th century. Over 30,000 families registered their lineage which are now housed in the British Museum in London. The Pearson name was one of the names that was registered.
- The pearson family name was recorded in the following counties, which can be used as a starting point for further investigation into these records held in the British Museum. Main County branched to NORTHAMPTON, STAFFORDSHIRE, and YORKSHIRE.
- The pearson family can be genealogically linked with the following Castle(s) and/or Stately Homes, Castle County Head of Family HOWICK HALL, NORTHUMBERLAND, and EARL GREY