Keith Wilson (2009)
Mathew Wilson 1726-1802
George Wilson 1758-1830
Mathew Wilson 1790-1873
George Wilson 1818-1903
William Wilson 1855-1941

SECTION 3
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5

THE WILSON NAME

Surnames were introduced into Britain following the Norman Conquest in 1066 to clarify parish records. The name ‘Wilson’ was either a patronym –Son of William – or named after a location. The first record of a Wilson, i.e. Robert Wilson, in England appeared in the Wakeman rolls in Yorkshire in 1341. However, many Wilsons are of Scottish ancestry – descendants of the highland clan Gunn.

The clan’s founder was a Norse pirate, Gunnar, son of Olaf the Black, who ruled Orkney and the Isles in the 13^th century. In the 15^th century Gunnar’s descendants and the clan Keith were continually at war. In 1464, in an attempt to settle the feud, the chief of the clan, George Gunn, coroner of Scotland, arranged a trial-by-combat between the two clans. Each would bring 12 horsemen. The Gunns were betrayed when the Keiths came two on a horse. The Gunns ‘berserker’ fighting qualities saved them from complete defeat, but George was killed. George’s five sons all gave their names to the clan septs. From James came the Jamesons and the MacKeamishs; from William the Wilsons; from Robert the Robertsons; from Eanruig (or Henry) the Enricks and the Hendersons, and from John the Johnsons and the MacIans.

They moved south to England when the border clans were disbanded from the border in 1603. Major branches of the family were established at Eshton Hall in Yorkshire, Melton, Bankhall, Penrith in Cumberland, Sneaton Castle in Yorkshire, CastertonHall in Westmorland, Forest Hall in Northumberland, and Rivington Hall in Lancashire. They were predominantly in Northern England.

THE WILSON COAT OF ARMS