Variations on a Surname

Inevitably when one begins to examine records for clues to their past, they come across a surname that appears similar in nature to their own. To some degree, common sense must be utilized in order to build an objective opinion on a possible relationship between the two. I have seen several sites that are very adamant in their views that most of these surnames are not related in the least. That my be very likely be the case; however, I feel that we must look at everything from a contemporary point of view. Is Colson and Coulson the same? Do they share the same origins? Cole and Coul are both supposed to be shortened, familiar names for the very common Medieval name Nicholas. The former was generally English and the latter was typically Scottish. If we continue to focus on the Jesmond area, we must consider that it is only a stone's throw away from Northumberland's border to Scotland. Does that prove our case with any degree of certainty in either direction? No, but allow me to elaborate somewhat. The surname Blenkinsopp is alleged to come from Blencarn's Hope (see Blenkinsopp Castle History for the complete story). Over the subsequent centuries, we can see a number of variations used in the same general area. Blankenship, Blenkins(h)opp, Blenkinship, Blenkinshope, etc. These are all within a relatively small area. It is unlikely that several different sources area responsible given the affluence of the family's name in history.

For a moment I want to get away from the Colson/Coulson/Colston dilemma. Instead I want to focus on a couple of popular historical figures for a possible understanding of the level of variation of surnames from generation to generation during this period. Harry, Duke of Buckingham--without question an educated man--signed his name Harre Bokingham on contemporary letters and signed documents. The father of Henry Tudor, the famous King Henry VII, bore the surname Tydwr, which is the original Welsh spelling. Not only do we see corruptions in the spelling among the lower and less literate commons, but it is also apparent in the upper classes as well. This, I believe, reflects a period of flux in the English language. Our language, which is a blend of several root languages, was much less standardized. Take for example the actual title of a book written in 1450, "How a man schall be armyd at his ese when he schal fighte on foote." Notice that the word 'shall' is spelled two different ways in the same sentence. This is not an uncommon discovery in a close examination of many texts of that period. For that reason more than any other, I give more consideration to geography and less significance to the recorded spelling of a surname when drawing my conclusions on this site. In researching 19th Century American census records, my father has noted that there are several incidents where Coleson and Colston families changed their name to Colson, and vice versa. Again, this does not mean that all of the Colson variations are interchangeable or even connected, but it is apparent that at least some of them are/were.

In my quest to discover the starting point of the Colson story, I came across several sources that pointed to the Northumbria region of England. There I found that the Colson or Coulson family had a strong presence in the Newcastle area, especially in and around Blenkinsopp Castle. For a time, it was actually owned by a Coulson. I have dedicated quite a bit of space to Blenkinsopp Castle and its relation to the Colson surname.