Suggested Colson Surname Origins

Who was the first Colson? Where did the name come from? I doubt that any two people you ask will give you the exact same response. Which, if any, are the correct assumptions? Unfortunately, we may never know for certain who was the first person to bear our namesake. What we can be relatively certain about is that there had to be more than one 'first' Colson. Although there is at least some evidence of the Colson surname appearing all across Western Medieval Europe, the majority of cases seem to be concentrated in vicinity of Northeastern England.

In our search for our the root of our name, the -son provides us with the most important clue. That suffix literally means "the son of" in some of the old Scandinavian dialects. That would lead one to assume that the first Colsons were either members of one or more of the collective 'Viking' invaders or the indigenous population. Remember that the later category included both the native British people and their Anglo-Saxon conquerors. There are several Colsons of French descent who aver that their ancestors originated there. That makes me tend to believe that the earliest Colsons were among the waves of Norse settlers that left their Scandinavian homelands in search of 'greener pastures'.

Prior to the 12th century, surnames were almost nonexistent. A study conducted by Ewen L'Estrange on Devon subsidy rolls (tax records), only about 6% of the population had a surname in the 12th century. That number rose to almost 60% by 1332. The main reason behind this was the Salient Law of the Catholic Church's Reforms in the 12th century which "banned marriage within seven degrees of consanguinity". Under Norman Law, no bastard could gain an inheritance. The poor possessed no land to bequeath and the wealthy had written contracts and titles to protect their interests; however, the ever-growing middle class had much to lose. This provided a positive force behind the adoption of surnames, which grew exponentially over the next few centuries.

One document that I have states with implied certainty that the Colson surname originated in Northumbria, the northeastern-most region of England. It was further stated that the first known appearance of a Colson variation was in the county of Northumberland where Ælstan Colsune settled in the township of Jesmond in 1090. That would add credibility to the belief that the Colsons first arrived in England as Anglo-Saxon or--more likely--Viking raiders, using the sword and axe to secure a niche for themselves on its shores.

As I previously noted earlier, surnames were very rare in the 11th century. That would seem to imply that Ælstan was a man of some significance. Over the next few centuries, his ancestors--or others bearing a similar surname--were said to have gained some prominence in the area. One document cited "the historian Camden" as its source for locating the family seat at "Jesmond House". I must presume that it was located in the township of Jesmond, but I have not been able to identify its exact whereabouts with any degree of certainty. If this document is factual, then it must be referring to the London historian William Camden (1551-1623). William Camden was a highly respected historian, antiquitarian, and traveler. He extensively researched numerous local histories and public records prior to publishing his six Britannia Editions. Camden, according to the document, described the Colsons as "an ancient and generous family" who resided many centuries in Blenkinsopp Castle, which is also near Jesmond (see map). According to John Watson's Haltwhistle History, the Blenkinsopp clan had owned the land around the castle since as early as 1240 when it belonged to Randolph de Blenkinsopp.

The document went on to imply that the Coulsons (sic) intermarried with the Blenkinsopp family for many generations, even accompanying Richard I on his Crusade to the Holy Land. No period documents were cited; however, so I cannot independently verify such a relationship during that era. There are several sources available that seem to support at least a familiarity between the Colsons and the Blenkinsopps as early as 1584. Parish marriage records for the general area show that Colsons and Blenkinsopp did in fact intermarry during this period.

Such a relationship would have been a very beneficial union for the Coulsons as the Blenkinsopp clan consisted of many barons and knights who at one time held both Corby and Blenkinsopp Castles. A search of the GENUKI database for Whickham Parish offers some insight. According to church records, on 13 June 1584, William Colson married Agnes Blankenship. A generation later, George Colson married Ellenor Blankenship on 28 September 1606. We are somewhat limited in our searches beyond that timeframe as churches did not begin to keep records of such events until the mid 16th century. This does not preclude such an affiliation prior to this period, nor did the affinity end there. William Coulson, Esquire, born 15 July 1692 of John Coulson and Elizabeth Broomley in Jesmond, married Jane Blenkinsop. He was made a freeburgess of Edinburgh on 12 September 1729. He died on 20 January 1750 in Jesmond. His son, John Blenkinsop Coulson, Esquire, was born on 7 May 1729, also in Jesmond. He left the Jesmond estates to his nephew, John Blenkinsop Coulson, in a will dated 27 June 1785. In 1727, Blenkinsopp Castle passed by marriage to Colonel John Blenkinsopp Coulson of Jesmond. He built the beautiful castellated mansion called Blenkinsopp Hall. In 1785, The Coulsons took the additional name of Blenkinsopp to reflect their inheritance. A century later (c.1880), William Lisle Blenkinsopp Coulson, Esquire restored the hall and built the modern castle that is seen today. According to Blankenship Origins, one of the portraits that Colonel Coulson displayed in his dining room was of William Coulson and his wife, the heiress of Blenkinsopp.

Late in 1871, the widow of John Blenkinsopp-Coulson, Esquire. (d.1868) commissioned for the installation of a large stained-glass window in the West wall of the Holy Cross Church in Haltwhistle (see image gallery) to serve as a memorial to him. It can still be seen there today.

In 1885, W.L.B. Coulson, Esq. installed two small stained-glass windows at the church in her memory. Haltwhistle parish contains the Blenkinsopp township within its borders. For more information on Blenkinsopp Castle and its relationship to the Colson family, follow the link at the bottom of the page. Those interested in further researching the Blankenship family should visit the site of Donald L. Blankenship. The images above are borrowed from his thorough web page. On his site there is also a picture of a monument erected in Northumberland to W.L.B. Coulson, Esq. (1841-1911).