The Sisson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,380 people carried this name — #3,177 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 25,900 people counted. About the same as in 2000 (11,355).

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sisson surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Cecilia’.

An early record he cites: Johannes Sisson, 1379 — Poll Tax, Howdenshire.

His entry covers Sisson, Sison and Sissons.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 693 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

87 families named Sisson, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 525 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Rhode Island 35
Massachusetts 20
New York 10
Virginia 7
South Carolina 6
Connecticut 4
Pennsylvania 4
Maryland 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 262 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Sisson in American newspapers,
1907–1920.

Newspaper page from The Lexington Progress carrying the name Sisson
The Lexington Progress 1920-03-26
Newspaper page from The Lexington Progress carrying the name Sisson
The Lexington Progress 1920-07-23
Newspaper page from Hattiesburg Daily News carrying the name Sisson
Hattiesburg Daily News 1907-08-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 72,853 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sisson in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1970s.

2,866 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sisson. The most, 755, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 1,356
Victoria 865
South Australia 246
Western Australia 201
Queensland 108
Tasmania 61
ACT (Canberra) 23
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sisson.

Who carried it

People named Sisson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Joseph Lawson Sisson d. 1867 · author
  • Jonathan Sisson 1690–1747 · optician
  • Joseph Sisson 1728–
  • Ruth Sisson 1734–1798
  • Jack Sisson 1743–1821 · soldier
  • Cornelia Elizabeth Sisson 1833–1910

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sisson,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States908 records

908 records of the Sisson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 424
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 169
  • Other U.S. records 315
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Winfield Wade Sisson

    Born 1937; from Berkeley, California. U.S. Marine Corps, pilot ch-46 qualified; declared dead 1965 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Drane R. Sisson

    Born 1909 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; warehouseman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ada Sisson

    Arrived at New York in 1883 aboard the Scythia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 33; matron. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 908 records for Sisson in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia118 records

118 records of the Sisson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 50
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 45
  • Other Australian records 23
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Frances Sisson

    Died 1929 in Ulverstone, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1929.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Sisson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Waterloo, arriving 1836; certificate of freedom 1843.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Sisson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1885 aboard the Liguria, as an infant; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 118 records for Sisson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand28 records

28 records of the Sisson name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 23
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 4
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Claude Michael Alphonsus Sisson

    Died 1980, aged 75; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Anne Sisson

    Died 1993, aged 58; buried at Mercury Bay Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frank Sisson

    Died 1940, aged 78; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 28 records for Sisson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada20 records

20 records of the Sisson name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 6
  • Other Canadian records 6
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jack William Sisson

    Buried in 1977 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 62.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Isabel May Sisson

    Died 1970 in Amherst, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, aged 47.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Frank Sisson

    Died in service in 1916.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 20 records for Sisson in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Sisson name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 4
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Lillian Violet Sisson

    Will proved in 1940; of Hoylake, Chester.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Sisson

    Rifle Brigade. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. T. Sisson

    Gunner, Cheshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Sisson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France5 records

5 records of the Sisson name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Nicole Jeanne Sisson

    Born 1942 in Marseille; died 1989 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roger Marius Sisson

    Born 1909 in Avignon (Vaucluse); died 1984 in Decize (Nièvre).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Helene Louise Marie Sisson

    Born 1896 in Bayonne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques); died 1977 in the United Kingdom.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Sisson in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Sisson name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John B. Sisson

    Married in 1925 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Sisson name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Grace Sisson

    Died 1929 in Aalst; born 1894 in Preston Engeland.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sisson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sisson is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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