Corson
A surname with more than one possible source, most often treated as a variant or development of Curzon or related place-name forms.
The #6,446 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,608 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical record suggests Corson may be connected to the surname Curzon, which appears in medieval English records and is generally explained through Norman French roots. In some early spellings and index references, Corson is grouped with forms like Curson and Curzon, implying a shared development or later spelling variation rather than a wholly separate origin. The name may therefore have been influenced by Old French and English naming patterns, but the exact path is not certain.
History
The name appears in medieval English contexts, including a 13th-century reference to a Hammond de Corson in Shropshire. Later surname dictionaries and indexes often list Corson alongside Curson and Curzon, reflecting either variant spelling or close association between the forms. In modern usage it is relatively uncommon, with bearers found in both Britain and the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older surname indexes place Corson right beside Curzon, showing how loosely spellings could be handled in medieval and early modern records.
From the historical record
“Hamond le Mester, co. Hants, 1273. A. Hamo, or Hammond de Corson, co. Salop, ibid. Adelina fil. Hamond, co. Honts, ibid. Alan Hamond, co. Chif., ibid.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)