HISTORY OF THE MORRISON NAME :

Recorded in several spellings including Morrison, Morrieson, Morison, and Moryson, this is an Anglo-Scottish surname, which is almost equally popular in Ireland. It is the patronymic form of the surname Maurice or Morris, deriving from the Latin "Mauritius", and meaning swarthy, from "Maurus", a Moor. The popularity of the name was due in part to the fame of St. Maurice, martyred in 286 A.D.

The given name Morris was introduced into Britain by the Normans, among whom it was popular. The personal name was recorded circa 1176 when one "Mauricius de Edligtona" was mentioned in the "Social and Economic Documents of London". It first appears as a surname in England in the 14th century (see below) in England, whilst Andreas Morison, a licenciate in law at St. Andrew's in 1463, was according to the church register of Brechin, the first recorded namebearer in Scotland.

Other examples of early recordings include those of Nicol Morysone of Ruchtven, Scotland, in 1501, whilst Charles Morrison (circa 1752) first suggested conveying messages by electricity, and invented the first projector of the electric telegraph. A coat of arms was granted to Sir Richard Morrison, knighted at Dublin by Robert, Earl of Essex, and Lord-Lieutenant, on August 5th 1599.

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Morisson.  This was dated 1379, in the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Edward 1st, 1272 -1307.  Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to “develop” often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

 


 

Our Morrison family including LAMB & WILDISH

Small numbers by a name refer to personal number in listing eg THOMAS LAMB 2 MORRISON - see 2


 

GENERATION ONE :

1.      ~ ~ ~ WILLIAM MORRISON was born in 1841 in Bothwell, Scotland and was the son of JOHN MORRISON and MARY ANNE MOORE.  William married CATHERINE LAMB on 7 October 1864 in Kirkton, Blantyre, Larnark, Scotland.  Catherine was born in 1839 in Blantyre, Larnark and was the second daughter of THOMAS LAMB and HANNAH HENDERSON.  William and Catherine arrived in New Zealand on the ship "Durham" in March 1873 with their four eldest children.  Baby Grace had died at sea on the journey to New Zealand.

William died on 27 August 1903 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand and Catherine on 8 January 1904 also in Gisborne.

   Refer to the LAMB family for more information about Catherine’s family.

Children of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB were:

   THOMAS LAMB 2 MORRISON, born 26 December 1861.

   JANET GALBRAITH 3 MORRISON, born 18 July 1865.

   JOHN 4 MORRISON, born 1866.

   GRACE MORRISON, born 1870 in Blantyre, Lanark, Scotland.  Grace died on the voyage to New Zealand in 1872.

   JAMES 5 MORRISON, born 6 June 1872.

   WILLIAM MORRISON, born 1877 in New Zealand; died 1955.  William married MARY ANNE THORNE.

   HUGH MORRISON, born 22 October 1879 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand; died 21 September 1966.

   ROBINA (RUBY) MORRISON, born 1881 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.  Ruby married JOHN BEVAN.

GENERATION TWO :

2. ~ ~ ~ THOMAS LAMB MORRISON (WILLIAM) was born on 26 December 1861 in Larnark, Scotland and was the eldest son of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB.  Thomas arrived in New Zealand with his parents on the ship “Durham” in March 1873.  He married MARGARET ROBSON in 1886.  Thomas died on 1 June 1946 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

3. ~ ~ ~ JANET GALBRAITH MORRISON (WILLIAM) was born on 26 December 1865 in Larnark, Scotland and was the eldest daughter of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB.  Janet married WILLIAM THOMAS WILDISH on 20 April 1886 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.  William was born on 23 March 1865 in London, England and was the eldest son of JOHN WILDISH and EMMA SPINDLER.

    Refer to the WILDISH family for more information about William’s family and children of Janet and William.

4. ~ ~ ~ JOHN MORRISON (WILLIAM) was born in 1866 in Blantyre, Lanark, Scotland and was the second son of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB.  He arrived in New Zealand with his family in March 1873 on the ship “Durham”.  John married ANN LANGLEY.  He died in 1947.

5. ~ ~ ~ JAMES MORRISON (WILLIAM) was born on 6 June 1872 in Parkfield Parish, Blantyre, Lanark, Scotland.  He was the third son of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB arriving in New Zealand with his family in March 1873 on the ship “Durham”.   James married ELIZA WILDISH on 28 November 1896 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.  Eliza was the eldest daughter of JOHN WILDISH and EMMA SPINDLER.

   Refer to the WILDISH family for more information about Eliza’s family.

Children of JAMES MORRISON and ELIZA WILDISH were:

   DORIS ROBINA MORRISON, born 11 April 1897 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay; died 2 May 1898.

   MURIEL HOPE MORRISON, born 1 December 1900 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay.  Muriel married THOMAS NICHOLSON COCHRANE on 4 April 1923 in Gisborne and they had seven children.  Thomas was born on 5 November 1895 in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia and died on 17 June 1970.  He was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne (RSA Plot 582).  Muriel died on 23 February 1961 in Gisborne and was also buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne (Block 15 Plot 6B)

   ALLAN LEWIS MORRISON, born 10 November 1906 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay.  Allan married INA DOROTHY WHITE.  He died on 5 August 1953 in Gisborne.

   ROBERT JAMES MORRISON, born 10 April 1910 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay.  Robert married CATHERINE PARKER on 14 October 1936 in Gisborne and they had two children.

Please note that in keeping to genealogy publishing protocol I have not included information about later generations including living persons. If you have a family connection please contact me for further information.

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