Pearson Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Pearson last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Pearson last name
Meaning of the Pearson last name: son of Piers (Peter). Pearson is a patronymic, "son of Piers", the usual Norman French form of Peter. Piers was a popular medieval name, and Pearson is common in northern England, especially Yorkshire, Lancashire and Durham, and in the Scottish Lowlands, and it was carried early to New England and Virginia. The English mathematician Karl Pearson, a founder of modern statistics, and the publisher Pearson of London made the name widely known. Piers also gave the surnames Pierce, Pearce and Pierson. The Pearson firm grew from a Bradford building business founded by Samuel Pearson in 1844.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Pearson name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Pearson name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Canada and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Pearson pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Pearson coat of arms for you.
Pearson name FAQ
What does the Pearson name mean?
Son of Piers (Peter). Common variants include Pierson, Peirson, Pearse.
Where does the Pearson surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Pearson coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Pearson crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Pearson coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.