French Pirates

[cornishglassons]

Hi there!

Does anyone know anything about the rumour I keep coming across that the first Glassons in Cornwall were French Pirates?

My husband's grandfather once employed a researcher who apparently also lead to this conclusion. I have never seen any evidence and certainly never seen the researcher's report, but as soon as I tell any family I am researching the Glassons from Cornwall, they immediately say 'ahh, French pirates'. No-one though can elaborate.

Be grateful to anyone who knows anything about this rumour.

Thanks!
Carole

[Deleted]

Hi Carole

I have heard the same story except they were Spanish. But no evidence therefore at this stage must be viewed as just a story. When you look at the earlier Glassons they mostly seem to be farmers as opposed to men of the sea.

The interesting thing about research nowadays is that there seems to be a lot more information readily available to the genealogist so you would have to wonder the source of such a conclusion from days gone by.

While my surname is Glasson, I can only assume that my male family line goes back through the Glasson lineage and not get muddied by the wayward actions of one or more particular generations - if you know what I mean? My DNA suggests that my ancient origin is Germanic but given that 10,000 years ago our ancestors were holed up in a ice age refuge - likely the Basque one, we could have come from many places.

Lannanta