# Hampson (surname)

Thee theory is that Hampson (Hempson, O'Hampson, O'hAmhsaigh, O'Hampsey) is an Irish surname. The small clan of O’hAmhsaigh (O’Hampsey) had become O'Hamson by 1659, when it is recorded in the census of 1659 as one of the principal Irish surnames in the barony of Keenaght, and as O'Hampson and Hampson it is found in the contemporary Hearth Money Rolls for County Londonderry.
Within Ireland, variants of the surname Hampson or Hampsey originated as shortened Anglicized forms of the Gaelic surname Ó hAmhsaigh, meaning ‘descendant of Amhsach’. Amhsach’ is a byname meaning ‘mercenary soldier’ or ‘messenger’, and derives from the Old Irish adjective amhasach ‘aggressive’. After 1700, the name is seldom seen except as Hanson or Hampson, though the Irish musician Denis O’Hampson, 1695–1793, County Londonderry, is known to have used O'Hampsey/Hempson as alternative forms.
Wills and other records indicate that for the past two centuries members of the clan were to be found to some extent in other Ulster counties as well as County Londonderry. A Charles Hampson was among the purchasers of forfeited estates in County Cavan in 1700 and a Captain Hampson is also listed in the same connection. There is a pedigree of Hampson of County Cavan in the Genealogical Office which indicates that this family was of Irish origin. Thomas Hampson, Anthony Hope and Thomas Smith were granted lands in Co Cavan in 1667. Hampson’s grant amounted to some 1,500 statute acres, located in the parish of Castlerahan, in the barony of Castlerahan and in the parishes of Ballymachugh and Drumlumman in the barony of Clanmahon. In 1719, the Hampson estate was purchased by the Maxwells.
With regard to the Irish surnameHampson, Hampsey, Hempson this name is classified as an "O" surname being an anglicized form of the ancient Gaelic surname O hAmhsaigh.
The surname O hAmhsaigh (pronounced O' Hawsey) is derived from the personal name Amhsach "messenger or emissary". The surname is mainly confined to its original homeland of County Londonderry. There the name was initially anglicized as O'Hampsy and O'Hamson in 1659 in the barony of Keenaght. the name occurs as O'Hampson and O'Hanson. In the 18th century, it was found as Hanson, Hampson and Hempson. References to this surname or to a variant include a record of one Charles Hampson who was among the purchasers of estates in County Cavan in 1700. John Hampsey, of Gortrighy (Rasharkin) sailed on the Stadacona in 1869 bout for St. John, while Mary Hampsey sailed on the Huron bound for Philadelphia in the same year. Notable bearers of this surname include the Irish musician Denis O'Hampsey (also called Denis Hempson) who was born in Derry in 1695
Although most members of this clan seem to have emigrated to Scotland, Northern England and America between 1240 and 1700 there are still some hAmpson / O'hAmhsaigh members to be found on the electoral rolls in their Country of Origin Ireland in, County Dublin, County Wicklow and County Wexford, Londonderry, also in County Down.

## Possible English, Connections of the Hampson family name

The presence of Hampson in Yorkshire, while documented, can be plausibly explained through migration and the independent evolution of surnames. Given the close proximity and historical interactions between Ireland and England, particularly across the Irish Sea, it's highly probable that individuals bearing the "Ó hAmhsaigh" surname, or its earlier phonetic equivalents, migrated to Yorkshire over time. Trade, military service, and general population movement would have facilitated this spread. Furthermore, the significant Ulster Scots migrations, beginning in the 17th century, would have carried many bearing these names to various parts of England, including Yorkshire. This movement, coupled with local anglicization, could readily account for the early presence of the Hampson surname in English records as early as the 1540s. The connection to the Norman personal name "Hammon," or Haman while suggested, presents several challenges. The rapid transition from "Hammon" to "Hampson" within the timeframe of surname development in England appears unusually swift, lacking the gradual phonetic shifts typically observed in surname evolution. Furthermore, the argument for the intrusive "p" is somewhat weak, as it does not explain the complete replacement of the "d" or "nd" sounds present in variations of Hammon. In contrast, the transformation of "Ó hAmhsaigh" to Hampson follows a more logical phonetic progression, aligning with established patterns of Gaelic surname Anglicization. Therefore, while a Norman origin cannot be entirely dismissed, the Irish lineage offers a more linguistically and historically coherent explanation.
While some sources point to a supposed Yorkshire origin for the Hampson surname, this interpretation appears to be facing considerable challenges. The claim rests on documented records, such as a 'Robertus Hameson' in Yorkshire in 1379 and a 'Henry Hampson' in the 1540 Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns. However, these isolated instances may not accurately reflect the surname's true origins. It's suggested that the surname is patronymic, derived from 'Son of Hamon,' with an intrusive 'p,' but this explanation could potentially apply to multiple regions. The apparent prevalence of the Hampson surname in Lancashire, despite the supposed Yorkshire roots, further casts doubt on this theory.
It's entirely plausible that the Hampson name has a much stronger, and perhaps primary, connection to Ireland. The scattered Yorkshire records could represent isolated cases of migration or coincidental naming, rather than a genuine origin. The Irish derivation, therefore, appears to hold significantly more weight, and the Yorkshire claims should perhaps be viewed with a high degree of skepticism.

## Notable Hampsons

* Alfred Hampson (1865–1924), Australian politician
* Anne Hampson (1928–2014), British novelist
* Art Hampson (born 1947), Former Canadian ice hockey player
* Billy Hampson (1882–1966), English football player and manager
* Daphne Hampson (born 1944), British theologian
* Denis Hampson, Donnchadh Ó Hámsaigh or Denis Hampsey (1695–1807), Irish harper
* Frank Hampson (1918–1985), British illustrator
* Garrett Hampson (born 1994), American baseball player
* George Hampson, (1860–1936), British entomologist
* Gord Hampson (born 1959), Canadian hockey player
* James K. Hampson (1877–1956), American archaeologist
* Jimmy Hampson (1906–1938), English footballer
* John Hampson, American guitarist and vocalist
* Justin Hampson (born 1980), American baseball player
* Keith Hampson (born 1943), British politician
* Matt Hampson (born 1984), English rugby player
* Norman Hampson (1922–2011), English historian
* Robert Hampson (disambiguation), several people
* Sarah Hampson (born 1958), Canadian journalist
* Shaun Hampson (born 1988), Australian footballer
* Steve Hampson (born 1961), English rugby player
* Stuart Hampson (born 1947), English executive
* Ted Hampson (born 1936), Canadian hockey player
* Thomas Hampson (disambiguation), several people
* Tommy Hampson (1907–1965), English athlete, Olympic champion 1932
* Tommy Hampson, English football player
* Walker Hampson (1889–1959), English footballer