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 WILLIAM 2 MORRISON ~ see 2           

I am also recording my Morrison family on Ancestry.com & WikiTree.com


 

GENERATION ONE :

1.     ~ ~ ~ JOHN MORRISON was born about 1809 in Ireland (Source 1851 Scotland Census). He married MARY ANNE MOORE. She was baptized on 6 December 1815 in Ballyeaston, County Antrim, Ireland.

Children of JOHN MORRISON and MARY MOORE included:

*             JAMES MORRISON, born about 1839 in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

*             MARY ANN MORRISON, born about 1840 in Lanarkshire.

*             WILLIAM 2 MORRISON, born about 1842 in Bothwell, Lanarkshire.

*             MARGARET MORRISON, born 19 May 1844 in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire.

*             JOHN MORRISON, born 21 November 1845 in Lanarkshire and baptized 14 December 1845.

*             HUGH 3 MORRISON, born about 1849 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire.

*             ELIZABETH MORRISON, born about 1851 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire.

GENERATION TWO :

2.     ~ ~ ~ WILLIAM MORRISON (JOHN) was born about 1841 in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland and was the son of JOHN MORRISON and MARY ANNE MOORE.

William married CATHERINE LAMB on 7 October 1864 in Kirkton, Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Catherine was born in 1839 in Blantyre, Larnarkshire and was the second daughter of THOMAS LAMB and HANNAH HENDERSON.

> Refer to the LAMB family for more information about the family of Catherine.

William and Catherine arrived in New Zealand on the ship Durham in March 1873 with their eldest children. Baby Grace had died at sea on the journey to New Zealand.

Children of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB were:

*             THOMAS LAMB 4 MORRISON, born 26 December 1861 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

*             JANET GALBRAITH 5 MORRISON, born 18 July 1865 in Blantyre.

*             JOHN 6 MORRISON, born 23 May 1867 in Blantyre.

*             GRACE MORRISON, born 1870 in Blantyre; died 1872 on the voyage to New Zealand.

*             MARY ANN MORRISON, born 13 December 1870 in Blantyre.

*             JAMES 7 MORRISON, born 6 June 1872 in Blantyre.

*             WILLIAM FREDERICK 8 MORRISON, born 1877 in New Zealand.

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

*             RUBINA MAY (RUBY) MORRISON, born 1883 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Ruby married JOHN BEVAN.

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

3. ~ ~ ~ HUGH MORRISON (JOHN) was born about 1849 in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland and was the forth son of JOHN MORRISON and MARY ANNE MOORE.

Hugh married MARY McFEAT. Mary was born on 29 August  1850 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire and was the daughter of THOMAS McFEAT and MARGARET MALCOLM.

Hugh died on 26 April 1926 and was buried at Taruheru Cemetery in Gisborne, East Cape, New Zealand. Mary died on 7 June 1932 and was also buried at Taruheru Cemetery.

GENERATION THREE :

4. ~ ~ ~ THOMAS LAMB MORRISON (JOHN > WILLIAM) was born on 26 December 1861 in Larnarkshire, 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 ROBINSON in 1886 (BDM1886/2020).

Children of THOMAS MORRISON and MARGARET ROBINSON included:

*             CATHERINE LAMB MORRISON, born 1888. Catherine married PERCY FROUD HEWITT in 1917. Catherine died in 1961 and was buried at Totara Cemetery in Thames.

*             MARY VICTORIA MORRISON, born 1888 (potentially twin of Catherine). Mary married LANGDALE GILBERT OLSEN in 1907. She died in Coolah, New South Wales, Australia in 1934.

*             JOHN MORRISON, born 1892.

*             JANE MORRISON, born 1893. Jane married PATRICK CASSERLY in 1913. She died suddenly on 22 October 1927.

*             ELSIE MARGUARETTE MORRISON, born 1899. Elsie married VIVIAN SINCLAIR McINTOSH in 1920.

Thomas died on 1 June 1946 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

5. ~ ~ ~ JANET GALBRAITH MORRISON (JOHN > WILLIAM) was born on 26 December 1865 in Larnarkshire, Scotland and was the eldest daughter of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB. Janet arrived in New Zealand with her parents on the ship Durham in March 1873.

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 the family of William and children of Janet and William.

Children of JANET MORRISON and WILLIAM WILDISH included:

o               CATHERINE CLARA LOUISA WILDISH, born 17 August 1887 in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, NZ.

o               GEORGE WILLIAM WILDISH, born 30 August 1889 in Gisborne.

o               RALPH JAMES WILDISH, born 2 December 1890.

o               MINNA CARLINA WILDISH, born 19 July 1892.

o               EDITH MYRA WILDISH, born 3 January 1895.

o               WILLIAM MORRISON WILDISH, born 8 January 1897.

o               SYDNEY ROY ERIC LOUISA WILDISH, born 21 April 1898.

o               NORA WILDISH, born 15 July 1899 and died as an infant.

Janet died on 8 October 1923 in Gisborne and was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, East Cape (Plot 703). William died in Auckland, aged 93 years, on 7 January 1959.

6. ~ ~ ~ JOHN MORRISON (JOHN > WILLIAM) was born on 23 May 1867 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, 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 ANNIE LANGLEY in 1892 and they had seven children (Source BDM online) John died in 1947.

7. ~ ~ ~ JAMES MORRISON (JOHN > 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 the family of Eliza.

Children of JAMES MORRISON and ELIZA WILDISH included:

*             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. Muriel died on 23 February 1961 in Gisborne and was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne (Block 15 Plot 6B). Thomas died on 17 June 1970 and was also buried at Taruheru Cemetery (RSA Plot 582).

*             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 MONICA PARKER on 14 October 1936 in Gisborne and they had two children. Catherine was born in 1910 in Waipawa, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

8. ~ ~ ~ WILLIAM FREDERICK MORRISON (JOHN > WILLIAM) was born in 1877 in New Zealand. He was the forth son of WILLIAM MORRISON and CATHERINE LAMB. William married MARY ANNE WHEELER (nee THORNE) in 1900 (BDM1900/126). Mary had previously been married to JAMES HENRY WHEELER who died in November 1897.

Children of WILLIAM MORRISON and MARY WHEELER included:

*             IVY FLORA DAPHNE MORRISON, born at the end of 1900. Ivy married HERBERT JOHNSON in 1924.

Mary died on 15 September 1933 and was buried at Hamilton East Cemetery in the Waikato. William died in Auckland in 1955.

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.

> Home ~ ~ ~ > Lamb ~ ~ ~ > Wildish

Gather ye the fragments that remain that nothing be lost.