Bisson

Etymology

The surname Bisson has more than one plausible origin in the historical sources. One line of explanation connects it with French dialect besson, meaning "twin," which would make it a nickname-based surname. Another tradition, especially in older French and Norman material, treats Bisson as an old form of buisson, meaning "bush" or "thicket."

History

French surname dictionaries note Bisson as an old or dialectal form in circulation before the modern spelling buisson became standard. Some sources also link it to Norman speech, where the older pronunciation and spelling survived longer. In English-language surname works, Bisson is sometimes grouped with surnames from French nicknames or descriptive words, and there is also a possible Scottish connection in some families through French-influenced forms.

Origin

Regions

Variant spellings

Fun fact

Some 19th-century writers still heard the older form bisson in speech even after buisson had become the standard written spelling.