Jackson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Jackson first emerged in the borderlands between England and Scotland. The name is related to the personal name Jack, a pet form of the popular “John,” meaning “God has favored,” and refers to “a son of Jack.” [1]

Early Origins of the Jackson family

The surname Jackson was first found in various shires throughout Britain including Cambridgeshire which listed two families in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Robert filius Jake; and Henricus filius Jake. By the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, the name had evolved to spellings that are closer to the ones used today: Johannes Jakson; Willelmus Jacson; Robertus Jackeson; and Willelmus Jakeson. [2]

Early History of the Jackson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jackson research.

Jackson Spelling Variations

The name Jackson, appeared in many references, and from time to time, the surname was spelt Jackson, Jaccson, Jacson, Jacksone, Jackston and others.

Early Notables of the Jackson family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Sir Anthony Jackson (1599-1666) was an English lawyer, soldier, knighted by Charles II, but later imprisoned in the Tower of London for over a decade; Henry Jackson (1586-1662), an English clergyman and literary editor; General Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), the 7th President of the United States; John Jackson (fl.1700-1717), the first chaplain to the garrison at St John’s, Newfoundland, and is credited with building the first Anglican church in Newfoundland.

Jackson World Ranking

In the United States, the name Jackson is the 13^rdmost popular surname with an estimated 770,970 people with that name. [3] However, in Canada, the name Jackson is ranked the 67^th most popular surname with an estimated 34,130 people with that name. [4] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Jackson is the 513^rd popular surname with an estimated 90 people with that name. [5] Australia ranks Jackson as 45^th with 41,631 people. [6] New Zealand ranks Jackson as 37^th with 5,550 people. [7] The United Kingdom ranks Jackson as 26^th with 114,155 people. [8]South Africa ranks Jackson as 511^st with 14,105 people. [9]

 Migration of the Jackson family to Ireland

Some of the Jackson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Jackson migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned as many of the settlers in Ireland, known as the Scotch/Irish, became disenchanted. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the “White Sails” which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the “coffin ships.” Amongst the early settlers who could be considered kinsmen of the Jackson family, or who bore a variation of the surname Jackson were 

Jackson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Barnard Jackson, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship “Margaret & John”, he died in 1624 [10]
• Mr. Walter Jackson, aged 24, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship “Southampton” [11]
• Mr. John Jackson, who arrived in Virginia in 1624 aboard the ship “Warwick” [11]
• Mrs. Ann Jackson, who arrived in Virginia in 1624 aboard the ship “Warwick” [11]
• Mr. John Jackson, British servant who arrived in Virginia prior to 1624 aboard the ship “Abigaile” [12]

Jackson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Rowland Jackson, who landed in Virginia in 1700 [10]
• Anthony Jackson, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [10]
• Deborah Jackson, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [10]
• Esther Jackson, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [10]
• Anne Jackson, who landed in Virginia in 1705 [10].

Jackson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Montague Jackson, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1807 [10]
• Luke Jackson, who arrived in America in 1811 [10]
• Martin Jackson, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1812 [10]
• Matthias Jackson, aged 28, who arrived in New York in 1812-1813 [10]
• Humphrey Jackson, aged 28, who arrived in Louisiana in 1812 [10].

Jackson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Mr. William Jackson, (b. 1881), aged 21, Cornish miner from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship “Celtic” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 4th May 1902 en route to St Louis, Minnesota, USA [13]
• Mr. Robert J. Jackson, (b. 1884), aged 19, Cornish cable operator travelling aboard the ship “St Paul” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th April 1903 en route to Vancouver, British Columbia, USA [13]
• Ernest Jackson, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1913 [10]
• Irvin Jackson, who landed in Alabama in 1915 [10]

 Jackson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Jackson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Wilson Jackson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
• Hanah Jackson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Eleanor Jackson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1774
• Mr. Jackson U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 listed as being executed for murder in 1785 in Saint John [14]
• Mr. Benjamin Jackson U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 400 aboard the ship “HMS Clinton”, picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York [14].

Jackson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Mathew Jackson, who landed in Canada in 1815
• Adam Jackson, who sailed from Ireland to St. John’s, Newfoundland on the brig Thomas Farrell in 1825
• Isaac Jackson, who arrived in Canada in 1831
• Leslie Jackson, aged 35, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship “John & Mary” from Belfast, Ireland
• John Jackson, aged 36, a victualler, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship “Providence” from Cork, Ireland.

 Jackson migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Jackson Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

• Mr. Richard Jackson, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
• Mr. Thomas Jackson, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
• Mrs. Sarah Jackson, (b. 1753), aged 45, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the “Britannia III” on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [16]

Jackson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. John Jackson, (b. 1765), aged 35, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Earl Cornwallis” in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1840 [17]
• Mr. John Jackson, (b. 1771), aged 29, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the “Earl Cornwallis” in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1840 [17]
• Miss Frances Jackson, (b. 1775), aged 28, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Experiment” on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [18]
• Mr. Ralph William Jackson, British Convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Coromandel” on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [18]
• Mr. George Jackson, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Duke of Portland” in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [19.

 Jackson migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Jackson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• James Jackson, who landed in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand in 1830
• H Jackson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Cuba
• James Jackson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Duke of Roxburgh[20]
• John Jackson, who landed in Wanganui, New Zealand in 1840
• Thomas Jackson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840

 Jackson migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [21]

Jackson Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

• Mr. Richard Jackson, (b. 1617), aged 17, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship “Hopewell” arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 [10]
• Mr. William Jackson, aged 30, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship “Hopewell” arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 [10]
• Mr. Charles Jackson, (b. 1617), aged 18, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship “Anne and Elizabeth” arriving in Barbados in 1635 [22]
• Mr. James Jackson, (b. 1602), aged 33, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship “Peter Bonaventure” arriving in Barbados and St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 [Mr. John Jackson, (b. 1611), aged 24, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship “Alexander” arriving in Barbados in 1635 [23].

Contemporary Notables of the name Jackson (post 1700) +

• Michael Joseph Jackson (1958-2009), American recording artist, dancer, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist [24]
• Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson (1824-1863), Confederate general during the American Civil War
• George Washington Jackson (1924-2023), American politician, Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
• Chuck Jackson (1937-2023), American R&B singer, one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
• George Rodrick Jackson (1942-2022), better known as Roddy Jackson, an American rockabilly and rock and roll singer, songwriter, pianist and saxophonist
• Lucious Brown “Luke” Jackson (1941-2022), American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1964 to 1972, named anNBA All-Star in 1965 and also played for the U.S. national team in the 1964 Summer Olympics
• Tiffany Jackson (1985-2022), American WNBA basketball player and head coach for the Texas Longhorns, earning All-American honors from Longview, Texas; she died from breast cancer on October 3, 2022
• Esther Victoria Cooper Jackson (1917-2022), African-American civil rights activist and social worker, one of the founding editors of the magazine Freedomways, organizational and executive secretary at the Southern Negro Youth Congress
• Michael James Jackson (d. 2022), American record producer, engineer and composer best known for producing albums by Kiss in the 1980s; he died from complications of COVID-19
• Ketanji Brown Jackson (b. 1970), born Ketanji Onyika Brown, an American attorney and jurist who has served as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 2021, designate associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.