Bernard Dudley James MUSSON. Born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, on 21.02.1948. Retired teacher, currently living in Leicester, Leicestershire, England.

 St.Mary de Castro, Leicester, where I was christened in 1948 :

I have always been fascinated by history, but for the last ten years this fascination has focused on family history, mainly the genealogy of the family name MUSSON.

I am a member of the Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society. I have profiles on both Ancestry & FindMyPast. 

Leicestershire county, the main focus of my one name study:

Among the variants of MUSSON I have come across, though I think some are transcription errors more than variants are : MASSON, MASSEN, MISSON, MISSEN, MOSSON, MOSSEN, MUSSEN, MUSON, MUSSUN, MUSSIN, MUPSON, MUFSON, MOUSSON, MOUCON and of coarse MUSTON.

MASSON is a Scottish surname and to my knowledge is not connected with the MUSSON name.

The MUSTON family name, although often found in the same vicinity as the MUSSON family name, may be an habitational name from the villages of Muston, found in Leicestershire and Yorkshire and not a variant of MUSSON.

There appear to be two theories about the origin of the family name MUSSON :

• One, that it originated as an habitational name in the village of Muston, in north-east Leicestershire, England and or the village of Muston, in Yorkshire, England. Possibly Scandinavian in origin.
• Two, that it originated as a nickname, from the Anglo-Norman French muisson, meaning sparrow, or possibly an habitational name from Mousson in Meuse-et-Moselle, France, other place names possible. Presumably arriving in England with the Norman conquest of England in 1066 AD.

It is my opinion that the MUSSON surname arrived in England with the Normans in 1066. Possibly has the French surname MOUCON, MUSSET, MOUSSON or even MUSSON. Being a Norman French habitational name or nickname.

There are some suggestions that the name MUSSON is first found in Yorkshire, but have found no records that might confirm this.

Whilst it is the case that the MUSSON name is found in and around the villages of Muston in both Yorkshire and Leicestershire, so is the surname MUSTON.

Are the villages of Muston named for the MUSSON family ? Even though Muston would appear to be Scandinavian in origin.

Unfortunately the Doomsday Book can throw little or no light on the origins surnames, only that places were there at the time it was compiled in 1086. Don't think it is likely that we will ever know for sure the origins of the name MUSSON in England.

The family name MUSSON can be found in Leicestershire Parish Records from the 1550s on. e.g. Beeby parish records, Erasmus MUSSON, baptized December 1590. (Possibly a 10x great,great grandfather or 10x great, great uncle)

In my study of the family name MUSSON in Leicestershire, England. There appear to be two main clusters, one around the villages and towns of north-east Leicestershire and one around the villages and towns of south-west Leicestershire.

This could fit with both theories of the MUSSON name origin. One of the clusters is certainly around the village of Muston in north-east Leicestershire. However both clusters can be associated with the Norman occupation of Leicestershire. One cluster in the area of the Norman castle and manors of Belvoir, in north-east Leicestershire and the other cluster in the area of the Norman castle and manors of Hinckley, in south-west Leicestershire. The later being founded by Hugh de Grantmesnil (1032 - 1098) companion of William the Conqueror. Hugh fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and was given by 65 manors in Leicestershire by William the Conqueror.

The family name MUSSON is found today in France, spelt MUSSON pronounced (moo-sonne) and would love to hear from any French MUSSONs who may have any information on the family name. 

• MUSSON is a municipality in the Luxembourg Province of modern day Belgium.

MUSSON births found in English Counties. (Details in my data base)

Not definitive, research still ongoing. Leicestershire biased, my own family line from Leicestershire, hence most research in this area.

Bedfordshire England :

Earliest found = 1738. Numbers of MUSSON found = 4.

Cambridgeshire England :

Earliest found = 1673. Numbers of MUSSON found = 6.

Cheshire England :

Earliest found = 1898. Numbers of MUSSON found = 8.

Derbyshire England :

Earliest found = 1638. Numbers of MUSSON found = 125.

Devon England :

Earliest found = 1847. Numbers of MUSSON found = 2.

Dorset England :

Earliest found = 1842. Number of MUSSON found 1.

Durham England :

Earliest found = 1861. Number of MUSSON found = 24.

Gloucestershire England :

Earliest found = 1780. Numbers of MUSSON found = 7.

Hampshire England :

Earliest found = 1839. Numbers of MUSSON found = 47. A percentage of these are military births.

Home Counties England :

Berkshire

Earliest found = 1843. Number of MUSSON found = 2.

Buckinghamshire

Earliest found = 1824. Number of MUSSON found = 8.

Essex

Earliest found = 1798. Number of MUSSON found = 18.

Hertfordshire

Earliest found = 1823. Number of MUSSON found = 2.

Kent

Earliest found = 1829. Numbers of MUSSON found = 31.

Surrey

Earliest found + 1812. Numbers of MUSSON found = 14.

Sussex

Earliest found = 1836. Number of MUSSON found = 5.

Huntingdonshire England :

Earliest found = 1804. Numbers of MUSSON found = 7.

Lancashire England :

Earliest found = 1831. Numbers of MUSSON found = 42.

Leicestershire England :

Blaby District

Earliest found = 1610. Numbers of MUSSON found = 20.

Charnwood District

Earliest found = 1550. Numbers of MUSSON found = 323.

Harborough District

Earliest found = 1560. Numbers of MUSSON found = 259.

Hinckley & Bosworth District

Earliest found = 1656. Numbers of MUSSON found = 182.

Leicester City

Earliest found = 1706. Numbers of MUSSON found = 316.

Melton District

Earliest found = 1520. Numbers of MUSSON found = 1057.

North-West Leicestershire District

Earliest found = 1680. Numbers of MUSSON found = 27

Oadby & Wigston District

Earliest found = 1730. Numbers of MUSSON = 10.

Non-specific Leicestershire England

Earliest found = 1592. Numbers of MUSSON found = 77.

Total numbers of MUSSON found so far in Leicestershire, England = 2271.

Lincolnshire England :

Earliest found = 1715. Numbers of MUSSON found = 777.

London & Middlesex England :

Earliest found = 1704. Numbers of MUSSON found = 57.

Norfolk England :

Earliest found = 1856. Numbers of MUSSON found = 11.

Northamptonshire England :

Earliest found = 1747. Numbers of MUSSON found = 25.

Northumberland England :

Earliest found = 1836. Numbers MUSSON found = 1.

Nottinghamshire England :

Earliest found = 1603. Numbers of MUSSON found = 425.

Oxfordshire England :

Earliest found = 1819. Numbers of MUSSON found = 26.

Rutland England :

Earliest found = 1698. Numbers of MUSSON found = 48.

Shropshire England :

Earliest found = 1826. Numbers of MUSSON found = 16.

Staffordshire England :

Earliest found = 1665. Numbers of MUSSON found = 19.

Suffolk England :

Earliest found = 1866. Numbers of MUSSON found = 2.

Warwickshire England :

Earliest found = 1571. Numbers of MUSSON found = 275.

Worcestershire England :

Earliest found = 1816. Numbers of MUSSON found 5.

Yorkshire England :

Earliest found = 1844. Numbers of MUSSON found 122.

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MUSSON births found NOT in England. (Details in my data base)

Channel Islands : 

Earliest found = 1813. Numbers of MUSSON found 4.

France :

Earliest found = 1826. Numbers of MUSSON found 1.

Germany :

Earliest found = 1801. Numbers of MUSSON found 1.

British India :

Earliest found = 1897. Numbers of MUSSON found 4.

Ireland :

Earliest found = 1824. Numbers of MUSSON found 4.

New Zealand :

Earliest found = 1866. Numbers of MUSSON found 4.

Scotland :

Earliest found = 1842. Numbers of MUSSON found 2.

Wales :

Earliest found = 1834. Numbers of MUSSON found 2.

West Indies :

Earliest found = 1840. Numbers of MUSSON found 8.

From my research I have noted a migration of MUSSON out of Leicestershire, north and east into Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. South and west into Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Oxfordshire. The name MUSSON from both Leicestershire clusters also migrated to London and South-east England. This is not to suggest that the name MUSSON was not already established in these areas, just that I have found MUSSONs moving to these areas from Leicestershire, in the 19th and 20th centuries.

There appears to have been a two way flow of MUSSON, Leicestershire - Northamptonshire - Rutland, in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Also noted migration of the MUSSON from rural to urban areas in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Found evidence of movement to the cities of : Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Peterborough, Birmingham, Manchester and London.

Also evidence of overseas migration of MUSSON name to USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the 19th and 20th centuries. With thanks to American cousins : Amongst the earliest American arrivals James MUSSON, Virginia 1658 & William MUSSON, New York 1796.

My MUSSON database contains :

A. Mussons :

1 Aaron, 1 Abel, 9 Abraham, 13 Ada, 1 Adelaide, 1 Adelina, 11 Agnes, 1 Alan, 36 Albert, 1 Alexander, 23 Alfred, 56 Alice, 3 Alma, 1 Amanda, 3 Amelia, 3 Amey, 1 Amos, 11 Amy, 1 Andrew, 289 Ann-Anna-Anne-Annie, 1 Arabella, 4 Archibald, 50 Arthur, 2 Audrey, 2 Augusta & 1 Avis.

B. Mussons :

1 Ballentine, 1 Balthasar, 5 Barbara, 1 Barnabas, 2 Barry, 10 Bartholomew, 1 Beatie, 11 Beatrice, 1 Belah, 31 Benjamin, 1 Bennie, 7 Bernard, 5 Bertha, 3, Bertram, 2 Bessie, 6 Betsy, 1 Brenda, 1 Brian & 6 Bridget.

C. Mussons :

14 Caroline, 1 Carrie, 1 Carter, 1 Caster, 3 Catherine, 5 Cecil, 3 Cecilia, 60 Charles, 20 Charlotte, 1 Christabel, 3 Christopher, 26 Clara, 2 Claude, 1 Clementine, 1 Clifford, I Colin, 8 Constance, 1 Cordelia, 1 Counsuelo, 2 Curtis & 2 Cyril.

D. Mussons :

3 Daisy, 6 Daniel, 3 David, 2 Deborah, 1 Dexter, 1 Diana, 1 Dinah, 5 Dora, 2 Dorcas, 16 Doris, 17 Dorothy & 3 Douglas.

E Mussons :

3 Eber, 3 Edgar, 28 Edith, 3 Edmund, 6 Edna, 29 Edward, 5 Edwin, 1 Effie, 22 Eleanor, 4 Elijah, 1 Elise, 55 Eliza, 370 Elizabeth, 1 Ella, 35 Ellen, 1 Ellspeth, 23 Elsie, 2 Emillie, 25 Emily, 42 Emma, 1 Emmanuel, 4 Emmeline, 1 Emmie, 1 Emmila, 2 Emmyt, 9 Erasmus, 2 Eric, 29 Ernest, 9 Esther, 23 Ethel, 2 Eunice, 7 Eva, 1 Eveline, 1 Eve, 2 Evelina, 6 Evelyn, 1 Everard, 1 Ewart, 1 Ezallendor, 4 Ezer & 1 Ezra.

F. Mussons :

1 Faith, 33 Fanny-Fannie, 25 Florence or Florrie, 2 Flossie, 1 Fortune, 37 Frances, 39 Francis-Frank, 31 Frederick-Fred & 1 Freelove.

G. Mussons :

4 Geoffrey, 135 George, 4 Georgina, 1 Gerrad, 16 Gertrude, 1 Gilbert, 9 Gladys, 1 Glen, 1 Glyn, 1 Goddeth, 14 Grace & 1 Gwendoline.

H. Mussons :

53 Hannah, 5 Harold, 31 Harriet, 67 Harry-Henry, 9 Helen, 1 Hepzibah, 18 Herbert, 1 Hetty-Hettie, 42 Hilda, 1 Hilson, 1 Holmar, 1 Holwell, 5 Horace & 20 Hugh.

I. Mussons :

2 Ian, 2 Ida, 1 Ina, 1 Inn, 1 Innocent, 1 Irene, 1 Iris, 1 Isaac, 6 Isabel, 6 Isabella, 7 Ivy & I Izzatt.

J. Mussons :

1 Jabez, 1 Jack, 1 Jacob, 83 James, 60 Jane, 1 Janet, 1 Jas, 2 Jesse, 3 Jessie, 1 Jo, 11 Joan, 4 Job, 336 John, 2 Johnathan, 81 Joseph, 2 Joshua, 1 Josiah, 2 Joyce, 2 Judith, 8 Julia & 2 Julianna.

K. Mussons :

49 Katherine-Kate, 12 Kathleen, 2 Kenneth, 1 Kestin & 3 Keziah.

L. Mussons :

1 Lancelot, 7 Laura, 1 Lavinia, 3 Lawrence, 1 Leah, 1 Leis, 3 Leonard, 3 Leslie, 15 Lillian-Lily, 2 Lizzie, 2 Lois, 2 Lot, 1 Lottie, 16 Lousia, 1 Lucretia, 23 Lucy & 1 Lydia.

M. Mussons :

14 Mabel, 1 Magnus, 1 Mahala, 1 Mair, 22 Margaret, 2 Margery, 19 Maria, 3 Marie, 1 Marion, 6 Marjorie, 35 Martha, 429 Mary, 6 Matilda, 7 Matthew, 7 Maud, 2 Maurice, 6 May, 1 Mehetabel, 1 Mercy, 1 Michael, 3 Mildred, 8 Millicent, 11 Minnie, 2 Miriam, 1 Mona, 2 Monica, 1 Mowbray, 6 Muriel & 3 Myra.

N. Mussons :

4 Nancy, 3 Naomi, 3 Nathan-Nathaniel, 8 Nelly-Nellie, 2 Nicholas, 4 Nora-Norah & 2 Norman.

O. Mussons :

3 Olive, 1 Omeneus & 1 Owen.

P. Mussons :

1 Pamela, 1 Parker, 2 Patience, 1 Patrick, 1 Paul, 1 Pearlie, 4 Penelope, 6 Percy, 9 Peter, 3 Phillip, 10 Phillis-Phyllis, 5 Phoebe, 2 Polly, 1 Poynton, 5 Priscilla & 1 Prudence.

R. Mussons :

7 Rachel, 1 Ralph, 2 Raymond, 26 Rebecca, 8 Reginald, 1 Rennie, 7 Reuben, 2 Rhoda, 47 Richard, 4 Rita, 38 Robert, 1 Roberta, 2 Rosa, 11 Rose, 1 Rowland, 1 Ruby & 21 Ruth.

S. Mussons :

2 Sadie, 1 Salome, 71 Samuel, 220 Sarah, 3 Selina, 1 Septimus, 1 Shelia, 6 Sidney-Sydney, 1 Simpson, 1 Sissllye, 2 Soloman, 2 Shophia, 1 Sophie, 1 Spencer, 5 Stanley, 4 Susan, 13 Sussanna-Susannah, 1 Syble & 2 Sysilie.

T. Mussons :

2 Telemachus, 1 Thaddaeus, 3 Theophilus, 1 Theresa, 259 Thomas-Tom, 1 Tobias, 1 Triphanna, 1 Tryphania & 1 Tryphena.

U. Mussons :

1 Ursula.

V. Mussons :

7 Valentine, 1 Valerie, 1 Vera, 1 Victor, 3 Victoria, 5 Vincent, 12 Violet & 3 Virtue.

W. Mussons :

22 Walter, 6 Wilfred, 360 William & 5 Winifred.

Z. Mussons :

1 Zaphnath, 1 Zena, 4 Zillah, 1 Zilpha & 1 Zryphania.

England, Wales & Northwestern Europe = 92%

Ireland & Scotland  = 5%

Norway = 3%