SISSON

The surname Sisson is of English origin and is traditionally derived from a personal name combined with a patronymic suffix. In its earliest usage it was constructed from the medieval given name Sige, which denoted “victory”, with the addition of the suffix -son, meaning “son of”. Consequently, the name may be interpreted as “son of Sige” or, more metaphorically, “son of victory”.

Another well‑documented line of derivation relates the surname to the name of the martyr St Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, a name that gained particular popularity among the Normans after the 1066 invasion of England. The name of St Cecilia was frequently shortened in affectionate or diminutive form to Ciss (alternatively spelled Siss). From this petname the Anglo‑Saxon patronymic suffix ‑son was appended, producing variations such as Cyson, Sisson and Syson. According to the records, the surname in this form functions as a double patronymic equivalent to the Irish Gaelic “O” and conveys the sense of “Son of Ciss's Son”. The name is notably concentrated in Yorkshire, with the earliest documentary appearance being that of Robert Cisson in the 1379 Poll Tax Rolls for that county under the reign of King Richard II.

Subsequent mentions include John Sisson in the same 1379 poll tax register, Edward Sissons recorded in the 1641 Friary Rolls, and the marriage of Peter Syson to Mary Dawson at St Georges Church, Hanover Square, London, on 1 July 1759. The heraldic description associated with the surname features a gold field charged with three red bends, with a crest showing a stag trippant in silver.

Beyond Yorkshire, other historical associations point to geographical origins. One possibility is a derivation from a place called Siston in Gloucestershire, itself formed from Old English elements Sige (“victory”) and tun (“enclosure” or “settlement”), yielding the meaning “Sige's settlement”. Branches of the family have also been identified in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and other counties.

In contemporary distribution, the surname remains most frequently found in the United Kingdom, particularly in Bedfordshire, Suffolk, Essex and Oxfordshire. In the United States it is most common in New England, especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts, but also in New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The name has spread further through immigration to Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and can be encountered in cities across both Britain and America.

Historical spelling variations record that Sisson has appeared in a number of forms, including Siss, Sise, Sys, Syston and others. Additional variants linked to the name include Siason, Sysson, Syzson and Sizes, some of which reflect French origins such as de Sisson. Anglicised forms may also be seen with prefixes such as McSisson or O'Sisson. The surname is chiefly English and Scottish in character, though it has become more widespread through colonial expansion.

Typical given names associated with the Sisson surname

Male

• Andrew
• Darren
• David
• James
• John
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Richard
• Robert

Female

• Angela
• Claire
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Helen
• Irene
• Jennifer
• Julie
• Lauren
• Margaret
• Michelle
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Sisson in...

Braille

⠎⠊⠎⠎⠕⠝

Morse

...........----.

Semaphore

Surname type: From name of parent

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Sisson

• C. H. Sisson - Writer (1914 to 2003)
• Rosemary Anne Sisson - Television writer (1923 to 2017)
• Richard Sisson - Musician

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

Your comments on the Sisson surname