This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Samson' Old English Sampson; Old French Sanson. With the forms Sansom, &c, compare Ransome for Ranson, or the dictionary word random for randon. It has been stated that Sansom stands for some local St. Anselm (compare Semple for St. Paul, Sampier for St. Pierre). This is without foundation. As a personal name Samson was in very early use. Mr. Freeman has three instances in Index to vol. iv (History Norman Conquest). One was Bishop of Worcester; a second, chaplain to William I; a third, messenger to Matilda. The following entries concern one individual:

Sampson Foliot, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Sanson Foliot, ibid.

Saunsum Foliot, ibid.

Sansum le Rus, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Samson de Baterford, Bedfordshire, ibid.

Sampson de Boxe, Wiltshire, ibid.

'Item, the vi. day of Aprylle, my mastyr made a couvenaunt wyth Saunsain, the tylere, that he schalle perget,' &c.: Accounts of Sir John Howard (A.D. 1467).; Promptorium Parvulorum.)

A well-known monastery near Rouen was built by the Archbishop of Dol, known as St. Sansone or St. Sampson. The personal name lingered long in Cornwall, where so many pre-Reformation favourites died hard.

1559. Married — John Sampson and Elizabeth Clarke, widow: St. Michael, Cornhill.

1582. Baptised — Warne, son of Sampson Morcambe: Reg. St. Columb Major, Cornwall.

1736. Married — Abraham Sampson and Ann Lawton: St. George, Hanover Square.Stolen from Fore bears

1756. — Thomas Younger and Ann Sansum: ibid.

1769. — John Sansom and Elizabeth Bellton: ibid.

1777. — Moses Samson and Mary Best: ibid.

For Samson, q.v.

Not from the Hebrew worthy, but the son of Sam, or Samuel, the P being inserted, as in Thompson, Simpson, Jempson, &c., for strength and euphony.

St. Sansone, sometimes called St. Sampson, archbishop of Dol, founded a monastery near Rouen (Pentale monasterium in agro Rotomagensi) and after having performed a miracle, by ejecting a serpent from a certain cave, left his name to the place (eidem loco nomen suum reliquit). Mabillon Annal. Bened. ad ann. 655 et 831. From that place this family derived their name. The first who bore it in England was Ralph de St. Sansone, brother to Thomas, first Norman Archbishop of York, who with him had been educated at the charge of Odo, half-brother of the Conqueror. Being described by the Chroniclers as, "de nobilissima Normannorum prosapia" it has been conjectured that he was a scion of the ducal house. He was chaplain to William, and was created Baron of Dover, and, in 1099, Bishop of Worcester. In Domesday he is styled De S. Sansone, and Sanson clericus. His son Thomas (for the canons relating to the celibacy of the clergy were at this period very loosely observed) became Archbishop of York, and another son, Richard, was Bishop of Bayeux. From these ecclesiastics and their collateral relatives descended a numerous progeny, who varied the orthography of the name to Sansonus, Sansonius, Saunsum, Sansome, De S. Sampsone, Samson, &c., &c., and settled in many counties of England, and in Scotland. Inf. John Sansom, Esq.

From the French, Sanson; in the Domesday Book, Sanson and de St. Sansone; a personal name.